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PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 532: ANTI-PIRACY AND ANTI-HIGHWAY ROBBERY

LAW OF 1974

Section 2. Definition of Terms. The following terms shall mean and be understood, as follows:
a. Philippine Waters. It shall refer to all bodies of water, such as but not limited to, seas, gulfs,
bays around, between and connecting each of the Islands of the Philippine Archipelago,
irrespective of its depth, breadth, length or dimension, and all other waters belonging to the
Philippines by historic or legal title, including territorial sea, the sea-bed, the insular shelves,
and other submarine areas over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction.
b. Vessel. Any vessel or watercraft used for transport of passengers and cargo from one place to
another through Philippine Waters. It shall include all kinds and types of vessels or boats used
in fishing.
c. Philippine Highway. It shall refer to any road, street, passage, highway and bridges or other
parts thereof, or railway or railroad within the Philippines used by persons, or vehicles, or
locomotives or trains for the movement or circulation of persons or transportation of goods,
articles, or property or both.
d. Piracy. Any attack upon or seizure of any vessel, or the taking away of the whole or part
thereof or its cargo, equipment, or the personal belongings of its complement or passengers,
irrespective of the value thereof, by means of violence against or intimidation of persons or
force upon things, committed by any person, including a passenger or member of the
complement of said vessel, in Philippine waters, shall be considered as piracy. The offenders
shall be considered as pirates and punished as hereinafter provided.
e. Highway Robbery/Brigandage. The seizure of any person for ransom, extortion or other
unlawful purposes, or the taking away of the property of another by means of violence against
or intimidation of person or force upon things of other unlawful means, committed by any
person on any Philippine Highway.

Section 4. Aiding pirates or highway robbers/brigands or abetting piracy or highway

robbery/brigandage. Any person who knowingly and in any manner aids or protects pirates or
highway robbers/brigands, such as giving them information about the movement of police or
other peace officers of the government, or acquires or receives property taken by such pirates
or brigands or in any manner derives any benefit therefrom; or any person who directly or
indirectly abets the commission of piracy or highway robbery or brigandage, shall be considered
as an accomplice of the principal offenders and be punished in accordance with the Rules
prescribed by the Revised Penal Code.
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It shall be presumed that any person who does any of the acts provided in this Section has
performed knowingly, unless the contrary is proven.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11479: HUMAN SECURITY ACT OF 2007

Section 4. Terrorism.- Subject to Section 49 of this Act, terrorism is committed by any person
who, within or outside the Philippines, regardless of the stage of execution:
(a) Engages in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person, or endangers
a person's life;
(b) Engages in acts intended to cause extensive damage or destruction to a government or
public facility, public place or private property;
(c) Engages in acts intended to cause extensive interference with, damage or destruction to
critical infrastructure;
(d) Develops, manufactures, possesses, acquires, transports, supplies or uses weapons,
explosives or of biological, nuclear, radiological or chemical weapons; and
(e) Release of dangerous substances, or causing fire, floods or explosions.
when the purpose of such act, by its nature and context, is to intimidate the general public or a
segment thereof, create an atmosphere or spread a message of fear, to provoke or influence by
intimidation the government or any international organization, or seriously destabilize or
destroy the fundamental political, economic, or social structures of the country, or create a
public emergency or seriously undermine public safety, shall be guilty of committing terrorism
and shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment without the benefit of parole and the benefits
of Republic Act No. 10592, otherwise known as "An Act Amending Articles 29, 94, 97, 98 and 99
of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code". Provided, That,
terrorism as defined in this section shall not include advocacy, protest, dissent, stoppage of
work, industrial or mass action, and other similar exercises of civil and political rights, which are
not intended to cause death or serious physical harm to a person, to endanger a person's life,
or to create a serious risk to public safety.
Section 5. Threat to Commit Terrorism.- Any person who shall threaten to commit any of the
acts mentioned in Section 4 hereof shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of twelve (12)
years.
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Section 6. Planning, Training, Preparing, and facilitating the Commission of Terrorism.- it shall
be unlawful for any person to participate in the planning, training, preparation and facilitation
in the commission of terrorism, possessing objects connected with the preparation for the
commission of terrorism, or collecting or making documents connected with the preparation of
terrorism. Any person found guilty of the provisions of this Act shall suffer the penalty of life
imprisonment without the benefit of parole and the benefits of Republic Act No. 10592.
Section 7. Conspiracy to Commit Terrorism.- Any conspiracy to commit terrorism as defined
and penalized under Section 4 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment without
the benefit of parole and the benefit of Republic Act No. 10592.
There is conspiracy when two (2) or more persons come to an agreement concerning the
commission of terrorism as defined in Section 4 hereof and decide to commit the same.
Section 8. Proposal to Commit Terrorism.- Any person who proposes to commit terrorism as
defined in section 4 hereof shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of twelve (12) years.
Section 9. Inciting to Commit Terrorism.- Any person who without taking any direct part in the
commission of terrorism, shall include others to the execution of any of the acts specified in
Section 4 hereof by means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners or other
representations tending to the same end, shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of twelve
(12) years.
Section 10. Recruitment to and Membership in a Terrorist Organization.- Any person who shall
recruit another to participate in, join, commit or support terrorism or a terrorist individual or
any terrorist organization, association or group of persons proscribed under Section 26 of this
Act, or designated by the United Nations Security Council as a terrorist organization, or
organized for the purpose of engaging in terrorism, shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment
without the benefit of parole and the benefits of Republic Act No. 10592.
The same penalty shall be imposed on any person who organizes or facilitates the travel of
individuals to a state other than their state of residence or nationality for the purpose of
recruitment which may be committed through any of the following means:
(a) Recruiting another person to serve in any capacity in or with an armed force in a foreign
state, whether the armed force forms part of the armed forces of the government of that
foreign state or otherwise;
(b) Publishing an advertisement or propaganda for the purpose of recruiting persons to serve in
any capacity in or with such armed force;
(c) Publishing an advertisement or propaganda containing any information relating to the place
at which or the manner in which persons may make applications to serve or obtain information
relating to service in any capacity in or with such armed force or relating to the manner in
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which persons may travel to a foreign state for the purpose of serving in any capacity in or with
such armed force; or
(d) Performing any other act with intention of facilitating or promoting the recruitment of
persons to serve in any capacity in or with such armed force.
Any person who shall voluntarily and knowingly join any organization, association or group of
persons knowing that such organization, association or group of persons is proscribed under
Section 26 of this Act, or designated by the United Nations Security Council as a terrorist
organization, or organized for the purpose of engaging in terrorism, shall suffer the penalty of
imprisonment of twelve (12) years.
Section 11. Foreign Terrorist.- The following acts are unlawful and shall suffer the penalty of life
imprisonment without the benefit of parole and the benefits of Republic Act No. 10592:
(a) For any person to travel or attempt to travel to a state other than his/her state of residence
or nationality for the purpose of perpetrating, planning, or preparing for, or participating in
terrorism, or providing or receiving terrorist training;
(b) For any person to organize or facilitate the travel of individuals who travel to a state other
than their states of residence or nationality knowing that such travel is for the purpose of
perpetrating, planning, training, or preparing for, or participating in terrorism or providing or
receiving terrorist training; or
(c) For any person residing abroad who comes to the Philippines to participate in perpetrating,
planning, training, or preparing for, or participating in terrorism or provide support for or
facilitate or receive terrorist training here or abroad.
Section 12. Providing Material Support to Terrorists.- Any person who provides material
support to any terrorist individual or terrorist organization, association or group of persons
committing any of the acts punishable under Section 4 hereof, knowing that such individual or
organization, association, or group of persons is committing or planning to commit such acts,
shall be liable as principal to any and all terrorist activities committed by said individuals or
organizations, in addition to other criminal liabilities he/she or they may have incurred in
relation thereto.

Who are liable?

(l) Terrorist Individual shall refer to any natural person who commits any of the acts defined
and penalized under Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of this Act;
(m) Terrorist Organization, Association or Group of Persons shall refer to any entity organized
for the purpose of engaging in terrorism, or those proscribe under Section 26 hereof of the
United Nations Security Council-designated terrorist organization; and
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Section 16. Surveillance of Suspects and Interception and Recording of Communications.- The
provisions of Republic Act No. 4200, otherwise known as the "Anti-Wire Tapping Law" to the
contrary notwithstanding, a law enforcement agent or military personnel may, upon a written
order of the Court of Appeals secretly wiretap, overhear and listen to, intercept, screen, read,
survey, record or collect, with the use of any mode, form, kind or type of electronic, mechanical
or other equipment or device or technology now known or may hereafter be known to science
or with the use of any other suitable ways and means for the above purposes, any private
communications, conversation, discussion/s, data, information, messages in whatever form,
kind or nature, spoken or written words (a) between members of a judicially declared and
outlawed terrorist organization, as provided in Section 26 of this Act; (b) between members of a
designated person as defined in Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 10168; or (c) any person
charged with or suspected of committing any of the crimes defined and penalized under the
provisions of this Act: Provided, That, surveillance, interception and recording of
communications between lawyers and clients, doctors and patients, journalists and their
sources and confidential business correspondence shall not be authorized.
The law enforcement agent or military personnel shall likewise be obligated to (1) file an ex-
parte application with the Court of Appeals for the issuance of an order, to compel
telecommunications service providers (TSP) and internet service providers (ISP) to produce all
customer information and identification records as well as call and text data records, content
and other cellular or internet metadata of any person suspected of any of the crimes defined
and penalized under the provisions of this Act; and (2) furnish the National Telecommunications
Commission (NTC) a copy of said application. The NTC shall likewise be notified upon the
issuance of the order for the purpose of ensuring immediate compliance.
Section 29. Detention Without Judicial Warrant of Arrest. - The provisions of Article 125 of the
revised Penal Code to the contrary notwithstanding, any law enforcement agent or military
personnel, who, having been duly authorized in writing by the ATC has taken custody of a
person suspected of committing any of the acts defined and penalized under Sections 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of this Act, shall, without incurring any criminal liability for delay in the
delivery of detained persons to the proper judicial authorities, deliver said suspected person to
the proper judicial authority within a period of fourteen (14) calendar days counted from the
moment the said suspected person has been apprehended or arrested, detained, and taken
into custody by the law enforcement agent or military personnel. The period of detention may
be extended to a maximum period of (10) calendar days if it is established that (1) further
detention of the person/s is necessary to preserve evidence related to terrorism or complete
the investigation; (2) further detention of the person/s is necessary to prevent the commission
of another terrorism; and (3) the investigation is being conducted properly and without delay.
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Immediately after taking custody of a person suspected of committing terrorism or any member
of a group of persons, organization or association proscribed under Section 26 hereof, the law
enforcement agent or military personnel shall notify in writing the judge of the court nearest
the place of apprehension or arrest of the following facts: (a) the time, date, and manner of
arrest; (b) the location or locations of the detained suspect/s and (c) the physical and mental
condition of the detained suspect/s. The law enforcement agent or military personnel shall
likewise furnish the ATC and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of the written notice given
to the judge.
The head of the detaining facility shall ensure that the detained suspect is informed of his/her
rights as a detainee and shall ensure access to the detainee by his/her counsel or agencies and
entities authorized by law to exercise visitorial powers over detention facilities.
The penalty of imprisonment of ten (10) years shall be imposed upon the police or law
enforcement agent or military personnel who fails to notify any judge as provided in the
preceding paragraph.

Section 33. No Torture or Coercion in Investigation and Interrogation. - The use of torture and
other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, as defined in Sections 4 and 5
of Republic Act no. 9745 otherwise known as the "Anti-Torture Act of 2009," at any time during
the investigation or interrogation of a detained suspected terrorist is absolutely prohibited and
shall be penalized under said law. Any evidence obtained from said detained person resulting
from such treatment shall be, in its entirely, inadmissible and cannot be used as evidence in any
judicial, quasi-judicial, legislative, or administrative investigation, inquiry, proceeding, or
hearing.

PD 1602: Anti-Gambling Act (as amended by RA 9287)

Sec. 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:
a) Illegal Numbers Game. - Any form illegal gambling activity which uses numbers or
combinations thereof as factors in giving out jackpots.
b) Jueteng. - An illegal numbers game that involves the combination of thirty-seven (37)
numbers against thirty-seven (37) numbers from number one (1) to thirty seven (37) or the
combination of thirty-eight (38) numbers in some areas, serving as a form of local lottery where
bets are placed and accepted per combination, and its variants.
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c) Masiao. - An illegal numbers game where the winning combination is derived from the results
of the last game of Jai Alai or the Special Llave portion or any result thereof based on any
fictitious Jai Alai game consisting of ten (10) players pitted against one another, and its variants.
d) Last Two. - An illegal numbers game where the winning combination is derived from the last
two (2) numbers of the first prize of the winning Sweepstakes ticket which comes out during
the weekly draw of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and its variants.
e) Bettor ("Mananaya", "Tayador" or variants thereof). - Any person who places bets for
himself/herself or in behalf of another person, or any person, other than the personnel or staff
of any illegal numbers game operation.
f) Personnel or Staff of Illegal Numbers Game Operation. - Any person, who acts in the interest
of the maintainer, manager or operator, such as, but not limited to, an accountant, cashier,
checker, guard, runner, table manager, usher, watcher, or any other personnel performing such
similar functions in a building structure, vessel, vehicle, or any other place where an illegal
numbers game is operated or conducted.
g) Collector or Agent ("Cabo", "Cobrador", "Coriador" or variants thereof). - Any person who
collects, solicits or produces bets in behalf of his/her principal for any illegal numbers game
who is usually in possession of gambling paraphernalia.
h) Coordinator, Controller or Supervisor ("Encargado" or variants thereof). - Any person who
exercises control and supervision over the collector or agent.
i) Maintainer, Manager or Operator. - Any person who maintains, manages or operates any
illegal number game in a specific area from whom the coordinator, controller or supervisor, and
collector or agent take orders.
j) Financiers or Capitalist. - Any person who finances the operations of any illegal numbers
game.
k) Protector or Coddler. - Any person who lends or provides protection, or receives benefits in
any manner in the operation of any illegal numbers game.

Sec. 3. Punishable Acts. - Any person who participates in any illegal numbers game shall suffer
the following penalties:
a) The penalty of imprisonment from thirty (30) days to ninety (90) days, if such person acts as a
bettor;
b) The penalty of imprisonment from six (6) years and one (1) day to eight (8) years, if such
person acts as a personnel or staff of an illegal numbers game operation;
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The same penalty shall likewise be imposed to any person who allows his vehicle, house,
building or land to be used in the operation of the illegal numbers games.
c) The penalty of imprisonment from eight (8) years and one (1) day to ten (10) years, if such
person acts as a collector or agent;
d) The penalty of imprisonment from ten (10) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years, if such
person acts as a coordinator, controller or supervisor;
e) The penalty of imprisonment from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to ten (10) fourteen (14)
years, if such person acts as a maintainer, manager or operator; and
f) The penalty of imprisonment from fourteen (14) years and one (1) day to sixteen (16) years, if
such person acts as a financier or capitalist;
g) The penalty of imprisonment from sixteen (16) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years, if
such person acts as protector or coddler.

RA 3019: Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

Definition of Terms:
Graft - Acquisition of gain or advantage by dishonest, unfair or sordid means especially through
the abuse of one’s position or influence in politics, business etc.;
Corruption - Dishonest or fraudulent conduct committed by those in power;
"Government" includes the national government, the local governments, the government-
owned and government-controlled corporations, and all other instrumentalities or agencies of
the Republic of the Philippines and their branches.
"Public officer" includes elective and appointive officials and employees, permanent or
temporary, whether in the classified or unclassified or exempt service receiving compensation,
even nominal, from the government; whether in the career or non-career service, including
military and police personnel, whether or not they receive compensation, regardless of
amount.
"Receiving any gift" includes the act of accepting directly or indirectly a gift from a person other
than a member of the public officer's immediate family, in behalf of himself or of any member
of his family or relative within the fourth civil degree, either by consanguinity or affinity, even
on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if the value of the gift
is under the circumstances manifestly excessive.
"Person" includes natural and juridical persons, unless the context indicates otherwise.
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Section 3. Corrupt practices of public officers. In addition to acts or omissions of public officers
already penalized by existing law, the following shall constitute corrupt practices of any public
officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful:
(a) Persuading, inducing or influencing another public officer to perform an act constituting a
violation of rules and regulations duly promulgated by competent authority or an offense in
connection with the official duties of the latter, or allowing himself to be persuaded, induced, or
influenced to commit such violation or offense.
(b) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present, share, percentage, or benefit,
for himself or for any other person, in connection with any contract or transaction between the
Government and any other part, wherein the public officer in his official capacity has to
intervene under the law.
(c) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present or other pecuniary or material
benefit, for himself or for another, from any person for whom the public officer, in any manner
or capacity, has secured or obtained, or will secure or obtain, any Government permit or
license, in consideration for the help given or to be given, without prejudice to Section thirteen
of this Act.
(d) Accepting or having any member of his family accept employment in a private enterprise
which has pending official business with him during the pendency thereof or within one year
after its termination.
(e) Causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party
any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official
administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross
inexcusable negligence. This provision shall apply to officers and employees of offices or
government corporations charged with the grant of licenses or permits or other concessions.
(f) Neglecting or refusing, after due demand or request, without sufficient justification, to act
within a reasonable time on any matter pending before him for the purpose of obtaining,
directly or indirectly, from any person interested in the matter some pecuniary or material
benefit or advantage, or for the purpose of favoring his own interest or giving undue advantage
in favor of or discriminating against any other interested party.
(g) Entering, on behalf of the Government, into any contract or transaction manifestly and
grossly disadvantageous to the same, whether or not the public officer profited or will profit
thereby.
(h) Director or indirectly having financing or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or
transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity, or in
which he is prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest.
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(i) Directly or indirectly becoming interested, for personal gain, or having a material interest in
any transaction or act requiring the approval of a board, panel or group of which he is a
member, and which exercises discretion in such approval, even if he votes against the same or
does not participate in the action of the board, committee, panel or group.
Interest for personal gain shall be presumed against those public officers responsible for the
approval of manifestly unlawful, inequitable, or irregular transaction or acts by the board, panel
or group to which they belong.
(j) Knowingly approving or granting any license, permit, privilege or benefit in favor of any
person not qualified for or not legally entitled to such license, permit, privilege or advantage, or
of a mere representative or dummy of one who is not so qualified or entitled.
(k) Divulging valuable information of a confidential character, acquired by his office or by him
on account of his official position to unauthorized persons, or releasing such information in
advance of its authorized release date.

Section 4. Prohibition on private individuals. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person having
family or close personal relation with any public official to capitalize or exploit or take
advantage of such family or close personal relation by directly or indirectly requesting or
receiving any present, gift or material or pecuniary advantage from any other person having
some business, transaction, application, request or contract with the government, in which
such public official has to intervene. Family relation shall include the spouse or relatives by
consanguinity or affinity in the third civil degree. The word "close personal relation" shall
include close personal friendship, social and fraternal connections, and professional
employment all giving rise to intimacy which assures free access to such public officer.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to induce or cause any public official to commit
any of the offenses defined in Section 3 hereof.

Section 5. Prohibition on certain relatives. It shall be unlawful for the spouse or for any relative,
by consanguinity or affinity, within the third civil degree, of the President of the Philippines, the
Vice-President of the Philippines, the President of the Senate, or the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, to intervene, directly or indirectly, in any business, transaction, contract or
application with the Government: Provided, That this section shall not apply to any person who,
prior to the assumption of office of any of the above officials to whom he is related, has been
already dealing with the Government along the same line of business, nor to any transaction,
contract or application already existing or pending at the time of such assumption of public
office, nor to any application filed by him the approval of which is not discretionary on the part
of the official or officials concerned but depends upon compliance with requisites provided by
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law, or rules or regulations issued pursuant to law, nor to any act lawfully performed in an
official capacity or in the exercise of a profession.

Section 14. Exception. Unsolicited gifts or presents of small or insignificant value offered or
given as a mere ordinary token of gratitude or friendship according to local customs or usage,
shall be excepted from the provisions of this Act.

RA 7080: Anti-Plunder Act

Section 1. Definition of Terms - As used in this Act, the term -

a) Public Officer means any person holding any public office in the Government of the Republic
of the Philippines by virtue of an appointment, election or contract.
b) Government includes the National Government, and any of its subdivisions, agencies or
instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and their
subsidiaries.
c) Person includes any natural or juridical person, unless the context indicates otherwise.
d) Ill-gotten wealth means any asset, property, business enterprise or material possession of
any person within the purview of Section Two (2) hereof, acquired by him directly or indirectly
through dummies, nominees, agents, subordinates and/or business associates by any
combination or series of the following means or similar schemes:
1) Through misappropriation, conversion, misuse, or malversation of public funds or raids on
the public treasury;
2) By receiving, directly or indirectly, any commission, gift, share, percentage, kickbacks or any
other form of pecuniary benefit from any person and/or entity in connection with any
government contract or project or by reason of the office or position of the public officer
concerned;
3) By the illegal or fraudulent conveyance or disposition of assets belonging to the National
Government or any of its subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities or government-owned or -
controlled corporations and their subsidiaries;
4) By obtaining, receiving or accepting directly or indirectly any shares of stock, equity or any
other form of interest or participation including promise of future employment in any business
enterprise or undertaking;
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5) By establishing agricultural, industrial or commercial monopolies or other combinations

and/or implementation of decrees and orders intended to benefit particular persons or special
interests; or
6) By taking undue advantage of official position, authority, relationship, connection or
influence to unjustly enrich himself or themselves at the expense and to the damage and
prejudice of the Filipino people and the Republic of the Philippines.
See Section 2 As amended by Section 12 of RA No.7659

Section 2. Definition of the Crime of Plunder; Penalties - Any public officer who, by himself or in
connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business
associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth
through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts as described in Section 1(d) hereof, in
the aggregate amount or total value of at least Seventy-five million pesos (P75,000,000.00),
shall be guilty of the crime of plunder and shall be punished by life imprisonment with
perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any public office. Any person who participated
with said public officer in the commission of plunder shall likewise be punished. In the
imposition of penalties, the degree of participation and the attendance of mitigating and
extenuating circumstances shall be considered by the court. The court shall declare any and all
ill-gotten wealth and their interests and other incomes and assets including the properties and
shares of stock derived from the deposit or investment thereof forfeited in favor of the State.

Section 4. Rule of Evidence - For purposes of establishing the crime of plunder, it shall not be
necessary to prove each and every criminal act done by the accused in furtherance of the
scheme or conspiracy to amass, accumulate or acquire ill-gotten wealth, it being sufficient to
establish beyond reasonable doubt a pattern of overt or criminal acts indicative of the overall
unlawful scheme or conspiracy.

RA 11596: Prohibition of Child Marriage Law

Section 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act:

(a) Child refers to any human being under eighteen (18) years of age, or any person eighteen
(18) years of age or over but who is unable to fully take care and protect oneself from abuse,
neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or
condition;
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(b) Child marriage refers to any marriage entered into where one or both parties are children as
defined in the paragraph above, and solemnized in civil or church proceedings, or in any
recognized traditional, cultural or customary manner. It shall include an informal union or
cohabitation outside of wedlock between an adult and a child, or between children;
(c) Guardians refer to relatives or individuals taking custody of a child in the absence of the
parents, or anyone to whom a child is given or left for care or custody, whether permanent or
temporary; or persons judicially appointed by a competent court as guardians;
(d) Parents refer to biological parents or adoptive parents; and
(e) Solemnizing officers refers to any person authorized to officiate a marriage under Executive
Order No. 209, otherwise known as “The Family Code of the Philippines,” or recognized to
celebrate marriages by reason of religion, tradition, or customs.

Section 4. Unlawful Acts. – The following are declared unlawful and prohibited acts:
(a) Facilitation of Child Marriage. – Any person who causes, fixes, facilitates, or arranges a child
marriage shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its medium period and a fine of not less
than Forty thousand pesos (P40,000.00): Provided, however, That should the perpetrator be an
ascendant, parent, adoptive parent, step parent, or guardian of the child, the penalty shall be
prision mayor in its maximum period, or fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00),
and perpetual loss of parental authority: Provided, further, That any person who produces,
prints, issues and/or distributes fraudulent or tampered documents such as birth certificates,
affidavits of delayed registration of birth and/or foundling certificates for the purpose of
misrepresenting the age of a child to facilitate child marriage or evade liability under this Act
shall be liable under this section, without prejudice to liability under other laws: Provided,
finally, That if the perpetrator is a public officer, he or she shall be dismissed from the service
and may be perpetually disqualified from holding office, at the discretion of the courts;
(b) Solemnization of Child Marriage. – Any person who performs or officiates a child marriage
shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period and a fine of not less than Fifty
thousand pesos (P50,000.00): Provided, however, That if the perpetrator is a public officer, he
or she shall be dismissed from the service and may be perpetually disqualified from holding
office, at the discretion of the courts; and
(c) Cohabitation of an Adult with a Child Outside Wedlock. – An adult partner who cohabits with
a child outside wedlock shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period and a
fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00): Provided, however, That if the
perpetrator is a public officer, he or she shall likewise be dismissed from the service and may be
perpetually disqualified from holding office, at the discretion of the courts: Provided, finally,
That this shall be without prejudice to higher penalties that may be imposed in the Revised
Penal Code and other special laws.