RepublicofthePhilippines CongressofthePhilippines MetroManila

REPUBLICACTNO.8353
ANACTEXPANDINGTHEDEFINITIONOFTHECRIMEOFRAPE,RECLASSIFYING THESAMEASACRIMEAGAINSTPERSONS,AMENDINGFORTHEPURPOSEACTNO. 3815,ASAMENDED,OTHERWISEKNOWNASTHEREVISEDPENALCODE,ANDFOR OTHERPURPOSES BeitenactedbytheSenateandtheHouseofRepresentativesofthePhilippinesin Congressassembled: SECTION1.ShortTitle.ThisActshallbeknownas"TheAntiRapeLawof1997." SEC.2.RapeasaCrimeAgainstPersons.Thecrimeofrapeshallhereafterbe classifiedasaCrimeAgainstPersonsunderTitleEightofActNo.3815,asamended, otherwiseknownastheRevisedPenalCode.Accordingly,thereshallbeincorporated intoTitleEightofthesameCodeanewchaptertobeknownasChapterThreeonRape, toreadasfollows: "ChapterThree" "Rape" "Article266A.Rape:WhenandHowCommitted.Rapeiscommitted "1)Byamanwhohavecarnalknowledgeofawomanunderanyofthefollowing circumstances: "a) "b) "c) "d) Throughforce,threatorintimidation; Whentheoffendedpartyisdeprivedofreasonorisotherwiseunconscious: Bymeansoffraudulentmachinationorgraveabuseofauthority;and Whentheoffendedpartyisundertwelve(12)yearsofageorisdemented, eventhoughnoneofthecircumstancesmentionedabovebepresent.

"2) Byanypersonwho,underanyofthecircumstancesmentionedinparagraph1 hereof,shallcommitanactofsexualassaultbyinsertinghispenisintoanother person'smouthoranalorifice,oranyinstrumentorobject,intothegenitalor analorificeofanotherperson. "Article266B. Penalties. Rapeunderparagraph1ofthenextprecedingarticle shallbepunishedbyreclusionperpetua. "Whenevertherapeiscommittedwiththeuseofadeadlyweaponorbytwoormore persons,thepenaltyshallbereclusionperpetuatodeath.

"Whenbyreasonorontheoccasionoftherape,thevictimhasbecomeinsane,the penaltyshallbereclusionperpetuatodeath. "When the rape is attempted and a homicide is committed by reason or on the occasionthereof,thepenaltyshallbereclusionperpetuatodeath. "Whenbyreasonorontheoccasionoftherape,homicideiscommitted,thepenalty shallbedeath. "Thedeathpenaltyshallalsobeimposedifthecrimeofrapeiscommittedwithany ofthefollowingaggravating/qualifyingcircumstances: "1) Whenthevictimisundereighteen(18)yearsofage,andtheoffenderisaparent, ascendant,stepparent,guardian,relativebyconsanguinityoraffinitywithinthe thirdcivildegree,orthecommonlawspouseoftheparentofthevictim; '2) Whenthevictimisunderthecustodyofthepoliceormilitaryauthoritiesorany lawenforcementorpenalinstitution; "3) When the rape is committed in full view of the spouse, parent, any of the childrenorotherrelativeswithinthethirdcivildegreeofconsanguinity; "4) Whenthevictimisareligiousengagedinlegitimatereligiousvocationorcalling andispersonallyknowntobesuchbytheoffenderbeforeoratthetimeofthe commissionofthecrime; "5) Whenthevictimisachildbelowseven(7)yearsold; "6) WhentheoffenderknowsthatheisafflictedwithHumanImmuneDeficiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired ImmuneDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or any other sexually transmissible disease and the virus or disease is transmitted to the victim; "7)WhencommittedbyanymemberoftheArmedForcesofthePhilippinesorpara militaryunitsthereoforthePhilippineNationalPoliceoranylawenforcement agencyorpenalinstitution,whentheoffendertookadvantageofhispositionto facilitatethecommissionofthecrime; "8) When by reason or on the occasion of the rape, the victim has suffered permanentphysicalmutilationordisability; "9) Whentheoffenderknewofthepregnancyoftheoffendedpartyatthetimeofthe commissionofthecrime;and "10) Whentheoffenderknewofthementaldisability,emotionaldisorderand/or physicalhandicapoftheoffendedpartyatthetimeofthecommissionofthe crime. "Rapeunderparagraph2ofthenextprecedingarticleshallbepunishedbyprision mayor. "Whenevertherapeiscommittedwiththeuseofadeadlyweaponorbytwoor morepersons,thepenaltyshallbeprisionmayortoreclusiontemporal.

"Whenbyreasonorontheoccasionoftherape,thevictimhasbecomeinsane,the penaltyshallbereclusiontemporal. "Whentherapeisattemptedandahomicideiscommittedbyreasonoronthe occasionthereof,thepenaltyshallbereclusiontemporaltoreclusionperpetua. "Whenbyreasonorontheoccasionoftherape,homicideiscommitted,thepenalty shallbereclusionperpetua. "Reclusiontemporalshallalsobeimposediftherapeiscommittedwithanyofthe tenaggravating/qualifyingcircumstancesmentionedinthisarticle. " Article266C. EffectofPardon. Thesubsequentvalidmarriagebetweenthe offender and the offended party shall extinguish the criminal action or the penalty imposed. "Incaseitisthelegalhusbandwhoistheoffender,thesubsequentforgivenessby thewifeastheoffendedpartyshallextinguishthecriminalactionorpenalty;Provided, That the crime shall not be extinguished or the penalty shall not be abated if the marriageisvoidabinitio. " Article 266D. Presumptions. Any physical overt act manifesting resistance againsttheactofrapeinanydegreefromtheoffendedparty,orwheretheoffended party is so situated as to render he/him incapable of giving valid consent, may be acceptedasevidenceintheprosecutionoftheactspunishedunderArticle266A." SEC. 3. Separability Clause. If any part, sections or provision of this Act is declaredinvalidorunconstitutional,theotherpartsthereofnotaffectedshallremain valid. SEC.4.RepealingClause.Article335ofActNo.3815,asamended,andalllaws, acts,presidentialdecrees,executiveorders,administrativeorders,rulesandregulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modifiedorrepealedaccordingly. SEC.5.Effectivity.ThisActshalltakeeffectfifteen(15)daysaftercompletionof itspublicationintwo(2)newspapersofgeneralcirculation.

Approved:30Sept.1997

(Sgd.)FidelV.Ramos PresidentofthePhilippines