TRansportation
TRansportation
CHAPTER V
INFIDELITY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS
Art. 223: Conniving with or consenting to evasion – any public officer who shall consent
to the escape of a prisoner in his custody or charge, shall be punished:
1. By Prision Correccional in its medium (2y, 4m & 1d to 4y & 2m) and maximum (4y,
2m & 1d to 6y) period and temporary special disqualification in its maximum period to perpetual
special disqualification, if the fugitive shall have been SENTENCED BY FINAL JUDGMENT to
any penalty.
2. By Prision Correccional in its minimum period (6m &1d to 2y) and temporary special
disqualification, in case the fugitive shall not have been finally convicted but ONLY HELD AS
DETENTION prisoner for any crime or violation of law or municipal ordinance.
Elements:
1. Offender is Public Officer
2. The prisoner (by final judgment or by detention) is under his charge or custody.
3. Such prisoner escaped from his custody
4. He was in connivance with the prisoner’s escape
Note:
If the public officer charged with the duty of guarding him does not connive with the
fugitive, then he has not violated the law and is not guilty of the crime. Alberto vs. de la
Cruz, G.R. No. L-31839, 30 June 1980.
ie: A (policeman) allowed B (prisoner) under his guard to go and buy cigarettes at
nearby store, thereby making the possible escape of the prisoner, is not in connivance
with the latter, A not knowing that B would escape.
However, relaxation of a prisoner is considered infidelity; although the convict may not
have fled (US v. Bandino, 9 Phil. 459) it is still violative of the provision. It is still
considered real and actual evasion of service when the custodian permits the prisoner to
obtain a relaxation of his imprisonment and escaping the penalty of being deprived of his
liberty, which would make the penalty ineffectual. (U.S. vs. Bandino, 29 Phil. 459)
ie: A (Jail warden), allowed B (prisoner), to install an air conditioner, Jacuzzi, and
entertainment corner (tv, component, instruments) on his room, with active telephone
lines and internet access.
It also includes a case when the guard allowed the prisoner, who is serving a six-day
sentence in the municipal jail, to sleep in the Chief of Police house and eat there.
(People v. Revilla) (Q14, 1996 Bar; Q11, 1997 Bar)
Art 224: Evasion through negligence- if the evasion of the prisoner shall have taken place
through the negligence of the officer charged with conveyance or custody of escaping prisoner,
said officer shall suffer penalties of arresto mayor in its maxiumum perod to prision correctional
in its minimum period and temporary special disqualification.
Elements:
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Note:
Negligence – is the definite laxity amounts to deliberate non-performance of duty.
ie: A policeman who assigned to guard a prisoner, falls asleep, with the result that the
prisoner escapes, is guilty of negligence in the custody of a prisoner (People vs. Guiab,
G.R. no. 39631, May 6, 1934)
The guard in permitting the prisoner, who lanter escaped, to go to the nursery to
gather gabi, considering that the place was grassy and tall talahib was growing therein,
was liable for infidelity in the custody of prisoners thru negligence because the guard
must have been immediately that it was as it had been a choice place for any prisoner
who may want to escape. (People vs. Lagata, 83 Phil. 159)
Art 225: Escape of prisoner under the custody of a person not a public officer – Any
private person to whom the conveyance or custody of a prisoner or person under arrest shall
have been confided, who shall commit any of the offenses mentioned in the two preceding
articles, shall suffer penalty next lower in degree than that prescribed for the public officer
Elements:
1. Offender is private person
2. The conveyance or custody of prisoner or person under arrest is confided to him.
3. The prisoner or person under arrest escapes.
4. The offender consents to the escape of the prisoner or person under arrest, or the
escape takes place through his negligence.
Art 226: Removal, concealment or destruction of documents – Any public officer who
shall remove, destroy or conceal documents or papers officially entrusted to him:
Penalties:
1. Prison Mayor and a fine not exceeding 1,000 pesos, whenever serious damage shall
have been caused thereby to a third party or to the public interest.
2. Prison Correccional in its minimum and medium period and a fine not exceeding 1, 000
pesos, whenever damage caused to a third party or to the public interest shall not have
been serious.
3. In either case, additional penalty of temporary special disqualification in its maximum
period to perpetual special disqualification shall be imposed.
Elements:
1. Offender is a Public Officer
2. He abstracts, destroys or conceals documents or papers.
3. The said documents or papers should have been entrusted to such public officer by
reason of his office.
4. The damage, whether serious or not, to a third party or to the public interest should have
been caused.
Note:
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Only public officer who have been officially entrusted with the documents or papers can
be held liable.
Ie: A stenographer who removes and destroys the record of a case kept by the Clerk of
Court is not guilty of violation of Art.226, because stenographer is not officially entrusted
with the record.
A simple act of retaining the mail without forwarding the letters to their destination, even
though without the opening thm or taking the moneys they contained, already constitutes
infidelity on the part of the post office official. (U.S vs. Mariño, 10 Phil. 652)
A deputy clerk of court who having received in his official capacity several nojtes or
paper money as exhibits in a case, afterward took away the said money is guilty of this
crime, because the money bills are papers and used as exhibits. (People vs. Abraham,
G. R. No. 17628, February 17, 19992)
Art 227: Officer breaking seal – Any public officer charge with the custody of papers or
property sealed by proper authority, who shall break the seals or permit them to be broken, shall
suffer the penalties of prison correccional in its minimum and medium periods, temporary
special disqualification and a fine not exceeding to 2, 000 pesos.
Elements:
Note:
Opening of public papers by breaking seals should be done only by the proper authority.
Hence, public officer liable under this article must be the one who breaks the seals
without authority to do so.
It is sufficient that the seal is broken, even if the contents are not tampered with. Art 227,
does not require that there be damage caused or there be intent to cause damage.
Art 228: Opening of closed documents – Any public officer not included in the provisions of
the next preceeding article who, without proper authority, shall open or shall permit to be
opened any closed papers, documents or objects entrusted to his custody shall suffer the
penalties of arresto mayor, temporary special disqualifications and a fine not exceeding to 2,
000 pesos.
Elements:
Note:
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Art. 229. Revelation of Secrets by an Officer – Any public office who shall reveal any
secret known to him by reason of his official capacity, or shall wrongfully deliver papers or
copies of papers of which he may have charge and which should not be published, shall suffer
the penalties of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods, perpetual special
disqualification, and a fine not exceeding to 2, 000 pesos if the revelation of such secrets or the
delivery of such papers shall have caused serious damage to the public interest; otherwise the
penalties of prision correccional in its minimum period, temporary special disqualification and a
fine not exceeding 500 pesos shall be imposed.
Elements: 1
Elements: 2
Note:
If the secret revealed does not affect public interest, the revelation would constitute no
crime at all.
Secrets revealed only punishes minor official betrayals, infidelities of little consequence,
affecting usually the administration of justice, executive or official duties or the general
interest of the public order.
Secrets here are not secrets of private individuals.
Does not include revelation of secrets of the State, because such acts are already
defined and punished as espionage in Art 117.
The word “charge” means control or custody. It seems that if the public officer is merely
entrusted with the papers but not with the custody of the papers, he is not liable under
this provision.
ie: Peace officers who published instructions received by them for the arrest of the
culprit, thereby enabling him to escape and resulting in the failure of the law and
authority.
Provincial Fiscal who revelaed the records of all investigation conducted by him to
the defendant who thereby learned of the evidence of the prosecution.
Art 230: Public Officer revealing secrets of private individual – Any public officer
to whom the secrets of any privte individual shall become known by reason of his office who
shall reveal such secrets, shall suffer the penalties of arresto mayor and a fine not exceeding
1,000 pesos.
Elements:
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Note:
Revelation to one person is sufficient, for public revelation is not required.
It is not necessary that damage is suffered by the private individual. The reason for this
provision is to uphold faith and trust in public service.
CHAPTER VI
Art 231. Open disobedience – Any judicial or executive officer who shall openly refuse to
execute the judgement, decision or order of any superior authority made within the scope of the
jurisdiction of the latter and issued with all the legal formalities, shall suffer the penalties of
arresto mayor in its medium period to prision correccional in its minimum period, temporary
special disqualification in its maximum period, and a fine not exceeding 1, 000 pesos.
Elements:
Note:
Committed by judicial or executive officer who shall openly refuse to execute the
judgement, decision or order of any superior authority.
ie: A Municipal Secretary who openly refuses to deliver to the mayor after having been
repeatedly requested to do so, the keys of the doors of the municipal building and the
seal under his custody.
Mandamus by Supreme Court ordering lower court to receive certain evidence. If the
lower court openly refuses to obey said judicial order, there is a violation of this article.
Art. 232. Disobedience to order of superior officer, when said order was
suspended by inferior officer – Any public officer who, having for any reason suspended
the execution of the orders of his superiors, shall disobey such superiors after the latter have
disapproved the suspension, shall suffer the penalties of prision correccional in its minmum and
medium periods and perpetual special disqualification.
Element;
Note:
Superior Officer may sometimes err, and that orders issued by him may proceed from a
mistaken judgment. For this, subordinate entitles to suspend, in such cases the order
issued, to submit his reason to his superior in order that the latter may give them proper
weight, if they are entitled to any. But if the superior disapproves the suspension of his
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order and reiterates it to his subordinate, the latter must obey it at once and refusal to do
so constitutes contempt.
If the order is illegal, the subordinate has a legal right to refuse to execute such order, for
subordinate who obeys such order may be held criminally liable.
Art. 233. Refusal of assistance – The penalties of arresto mayor in its medium period to
prision correccional in its minimum period, perpetual special disqualification and a fine not
exceeding 1, 000 pesos, shall be imposed upon a public officer who, upon demand from
competent authority, shall fail to lend his cooperation towards the administration of justice or
other publc service, if such failure shall result in serious damage to the public interest, or to a
third party; otherwise, damage to the public interest, or to a third party; otherwise, arresto mayor
in its medium and maximum periods and a fine not exceeding 500 pesos shall be imposed.
Elements:
Note:
There must be a demand from competent authority.
ie: A chief of police who flatly and insolently refuses to serve summons of a provincial
fiscal, after having been duly requested to do so by the latter official is guilty of a
violation of this article.
Art. 234. Refusal to discharge elective office – Penalty of arresto mayor or a fine not
exceeding 1, 000 pesos, or both, shall be imposed upon any person who, having been elected
by popular election to a public office, shall refuse without legal motive to be sworn in or
discharge the duties of said office.
Elements:
Note:
The refusal must be without legal motive. If the elected person is underage, or otherwise
disqualified, his refusal to be sworn in or to discharge the duties of the office is justified.
Art. 235. Maltreatment of prisoners – Penalty of prision correccional in its medium period
to prision mayor in its minimum period, in addition to his liability for the physical injuries or
damage caused, shall be imposed upon any public officer or employee who shall overdo himself
in the correction or handling of a prisoner or detention prisoner under his charge by the
imposition of punishments not authorized by the regulations, or by inflicting such punishments in
a cruel and humiliating manner.
If the purpose of the maltreatment is to extort a confession, or to obtain some information from
the prisoner, the offender shall be punished by prision mayor in its minimum period, temporary
special disqualification and a fine not exceeding six thousand (P6,000) pesos, in addition to his
liability for the physical injuries or damage caused.
Elements:
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Note:
Maltreatment must relate to the correction or handling of the prisoner or must be for the
purpose of extorting confession or information.
If jailer inflicted physical injuries on the prisoner because of personal grudge against the
prisoner, the jailer is liable for physical injuries only.
Art 236. Anticipation of duties of public officer – Any person who shall assume the
performance of the duties and powers of any public office or employment without first being
sworn in or having given the bond required by law, shall be suspended from such office or
employment until he shall have complied with the respective formalities and shall be fined from
200 to 500 pesos.
Elements:
Art. 237. Prolonging performance of duties and powers. – Any public officer who
shall continue to exercise the duties and powers of his office, employment, or commission,
beyond the period provided by law, regualtions or special provisions applicable to the case,
shall suffer the penalties of prision correccional in its minimum period, special temporary
disqualification in its minimum period and a fine not exceeding 500 pesos.
Elements:
Note:
A public officer who has been suspended, separated, declared overaged, or dismissed
cannot continue to perform the duties of his office.
Art. 238. Abandonment of office or position. – Any public officer who, before the
acceptance of his resignation, shall abandon his office to the detriment of the public service,
shall suffer the penalty of arresto mayor.
If such office shall have been abandoned in order to evade the discharge of the duties of
preventing, prosecuting, or punishing any of the crimes falling within Title One and Chapter One
of Title Three of Book Two of this code, the offender shall be punished by prision correccional in
its minimum and medium periods, and by arresto mayor if the purpose of such abandonment is
to evade the duty of preventing, prosecuting or punishing any other crime.
Elements;
Note:
There must be a written or formal resignation
A verbal statement that a person is resigning is not a form of resignation contemplated
by the set-up of our civil service system.
Title 1, Chapter 1 of Title 3 of Book 2 of this code: Treason, Conspiracy and Proposal to
commit treason, Misprision of Treason, espionage, inciting to war or giving motives for
reprisal, violation of neutrality, correspondence with hostile country, flight to enemy’s
country, piracy and mutiny, rebellion, coup d’etat, conspiracy and proposal to commit
coup d’ etat or rebellion, disloyalty of public officers, inciting to rebellion, sedition,
conspiracy to commit sedition, inciting to sedition.
Art. 239. Usurpation of legislative powers. – The penalties of prision correccional in its
minimum period, temporary special disqualification, and a fine not exceeding 1, 000 pesos, shall
be imposed upon any public officer who shall encroach upon the powers of the legislative
branch of the Government, either by making general rules or regulations beyond the scope of
his authority, or by attempting to repeal a law or suspending the execution thereof.
Elements;
Art 240. Usurpation of executive functions – Any judge who shall assume any power
pertaining to the executive authorities, or shall obstruct the latter in the lawful exercise of their
powers, shall suffer the penalty of arresto mayor in ihts medium period to prision correccional in
its minimum period.
Elements:
1. Offender is a judge.
2. He (a) assumes power pertaining to the executive authorities, or (b) obstructs the
executive authorities in the lawful exercise of their powers.
Note:
A councilor who assumes a power pertaining to the mayor or obstructs him in the lawful
exercise of his power is not liable under Art. 240, because only a judge can commit
usurpation of executive functions.
Art 241. Usurpation of judicial functions. – The penalty of arresto mayor in its medium
period to prision correccional in its minimum period, shall be imposed upon any officer of the
executive branch of the Government who shall assume judicial powers or shall obstruct the
execution of any order or decision rendered by any judge within his jurisdiction.
Elements:
Note:
1. Art. 239-241 punish interference by the officers of one of the three departments of the
government (legislative, executive and judicial) with the functions of the officers of
another department (People vs. Hilvano, 99 Phil. 655)
ie: A municipal President who received a complaint signed by the Chief of Police, and
afterwards tried the case, even though the justice of the peace was discharging his office
in the municipality is guilty under this article.
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Art 242. Disobeying request for disqualification. – Any public officer who, before the
question of jurisdiction is decided, shall continue any proceeding after having been lawfully
required to refrain from doing so, shall be punished by arresto mayor and a fine not exceeding
500 pesos.
Elements:
Note:
Mayor of Manila suspended market administrator for alleged irregularities. Then he
caused an administrative investigation of the market administrator. Latter filed a petition
for prohibition in the Trial Court, which issued a preliminary writ of injunction pending the
resolution of the question of jurisdiction raised by the petitioner. But the mayor continued
the investigation. Thus he is held liable under this article.
Elements:
Note:
Judicial Branch is intended to be free and secure from executive dictations. Courts
cannot, under their duty to their creator, the sovereign power, permit themselves to be
subordinated to any person or official to which their creator did not itself subordinate
them (Borromeo Vs Mariano 41 Phil 322)
ie; Mayor, wrote a letter to a judge, requesting the latter to decide the case pending
before him, is liable of this article.
Art 244: Unlawful appointments – Any public officer who shall knowingly nominate or
appoint to any public office any person lacking the legal qualificaitions thereof, shall suffer
the penalty of arresto mayor and a fine not exceeding 1, 000 pesos.
Elements:
Note:
There must be a law providing for the qualifications of a person to be nominated or
appointed to a public office.
Art. 245. Abuses against chastity- penalties – The penalties of prision correccional in its
medium and maximum periods and temporary special disqualification shall be imposed:
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1. Upon any public officer who shall solicit or make immoral or indecent advances to a
woman interested in matters pending before such officer for decision, or with respect to
which he is required to submit a report to or consult with a superior officer;
2. Any warden or other public officer directly charged with the care and custody of
prisoners or persons under arrest who shall solicit or make immoral or indecent
advances to a woman under hos custody.
If the person solicited be the wife, daughter, sister or relative within the same dgree by
affinity of any person in the custody of such warden or officer, the penalties shall be
prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods and temporary special
disqualification.
Elements:
Note:
The word solicit means to propose earnestly and persistently something unchaste and
immoral to a woman.
This crime is consummated by mere proposal, because it is sufficient that there is a
soliciting or making immoral or indecent advances to the woman.
It is not necessary that the woman solicited should have yielded to the solicitation of the
offender.
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