House nears RPC overhaul

The House committee on justice took a step closer to overhauling the outdated Revised Penal Code (RPC) as it formed four technical working groups (TWG) to refine House Bill 6204 or the proposed Philippine Code of Crimes.

The TWG will focus on revisions of Book II of HB 6204, which is principally authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

The proposed Code of Crimes seeks to update and revise existing penal law to align it with current international best practices and integrate special laws in order to have one code for all criminal laws, Alvarez said in the explanatory note of the bill.

The proposed Code also seeks to strengthen the criminal justice system through laws to address social problems, and create a single unified criminal code.

Book I of the bill deals with the general principle on the application of the Code, the offenses, the persons liable, and the table of penalties.

Book II encompasses all offenses provided for under the Revised Penal Code and other special laws. It is divided into four titles: I – Crimes Committed Against the State; II – Crimes Against Fundamental Laws of the State; III – Crimes Against Chastity and Honor; and IV -Crimes Against Humanitarian Laws.

Rep. Ron Salo would lead the team handling discussions of Title I with Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte acting as assistant team leader.

Rep. Vicente Veloso would be assisted by Rep. Eugene de Vera for Title II, while Title III will be taken up by Rep. Ramon Rocamora as team leader and Rep. Henry Oaminal as assistant team leader.

Rep. Josephine Ramirez Sato will lead discussions on Title IV.

The team leaders will have counterparts from the University of the Philippines Law Center, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Public Attorney’s Office, Office of the Ombudsman, and other organizations contributing to the creation of the Code of Crimes.

House justice committee chair Rep. Reynaldo Umali said the TWG are expected to submit their outputs to the mother committee by November to allow the committee and the UP Law Center to finish the bill by November. Chito Lozada