House to tackle bill repealing Revised Penal Code

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives is set to deliberate on a crucial bill that seeks to repeal the 81-year old Revised Penal Code (RPC) and replace it with the proposed Code of Crimes to make the law responsive to present times.

House Bill 2300 was launched during simple ceremonies in the House led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., author of the measure and re-elected chairman of the House committee on justice.

The bill was titled “An Act Instituting the Philippine Code of Crimes to Further Strengthen the Criminal Justice System, Repealing for the Purpose Book One of Act No. 3815, As Amended, Otherwise Known as the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines and other Special Laws on Crimes,” or “The Philippine Code of Crimes.”

It was the result of two years of work and consultation with various sectors and experts spearheaded by the Department of Justice Criminal Code Committee, and the House justice committee in partnership with the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.

Tupas said the measure seeks to institute changes to Book I of the RPC, which is widely viewed as outdated and archaic.