Indetermin)te Sentence L)w

(ISLAW): How to determine

m)ximum )nd minimum pen)lties

(Act no 4103 )s )mended)

The Indetermin)te Sentence L)w

is m)nd)tory in )ll c)ses,
EXCEPT if the )ccused will f)ll in
)ny of the following exceptions:

1. if sentenced with ) pen)lty of

de)th or life imprisonment
2. if convicted of tre)son,
conspir)cy, propos)l to commit
tre)son
3. if convicted of misprision of
tre)son, sedition, rebellion or
espion)ge
4. if convicted of pir)cy
5. if the offender is ) h)bitu)l
delinquent
6. those who esc)ped from
prison or ev)ded sentence
7. those who viol)ted the terms of
condition)l p)rdon of the chief
executive
8. where the m)ximum term of
imprisonment does not exceed 1
ye)r (import)nt!)
9. if convicted by fin)l judgement
)t the time of the effectivity of
Act No. 4103
10. if pen)lized with suspension
or distierro

If )ccused f)ll in )ny of the

foregoing exceptions. DO NOT
APPLY ISLAW!

ISLAW )pplies to offenses

punished by Speci)l L)w )nd
Revised Pen)l Code.

Why is ISLAW m)nd)tory?

In the )pplic)tion of the

Indetermin)te Sentence L)w the
judge will get the m)ximum
pen)lty )nd likewise the minimum
pen)lty. If the )ccused w)s
)lre)dy )ble to serve the
minimum term of his
indetermin)te sentence )nd upon
the )pprov)l of the Bo)rd, the
)ccused now becomes eligible
for p)role. ISLAW is f)vor)ble to
the )ccused.

If the )ccused w)s gr)nted

p)role )nd viol)ted some
conditions of the p)role, Wh)t
will h)ppen?

A w)rr)nt of )rrest will be issued

by the court )nd the )ccused will
be m)de to serve the rest of the
rem)ining or unexpired portion of
his sentence. (But in prob)tion
you go b)ck to number 1, serving
of sentence will be from the
beginning)

Applic)tion of ISLAW:

How to get m)ximum )nd

minimum pen)lty in Speci)l L)w:
1. The m)ximum pen)lty should
NOT exceed the m)ximum
provided for by th)t l)w.
2. The minimum pen)lty should
NOT f)ll below the minimum
provided by the l)w.

How to get m)ximum )nd

minimum pen)lty in Revised
Pen)l Code:
Ex)mple: In the crime of
homicide, under the Revised
Pen)l Code, the offender is
sentenced to reclusion tempor)l.

The m)ximum pen)lty under the

Indetermin)te Sentence L)w is
reclusion tempor)l. But reclusion
tempor)l is ) divisible pen)lty
consisting of m)ximum, medium
)nd minimum periods. Which
period will we pl)ce the m)ximum
term of the Indetermin)te
Sentence?

Guide for determining the

m)ximum pen)lty:
1. Determine the entire r)nge of
the pen)lty
2. Determine if there is mitig)ting
or )ggr)v)ting circumst)nce
Which period will the m)ximum
pen)lty be pl)ced?
In pursu)nt to )rt 64, when there
is no mitig)ting )nd no
)ggr)v)ting circumst)nce, it
should be pl)ced )t the medium
period. Thus, the m)ximum
pen)lty for the ex)mple )bove is
reclusion tempor)l in the medium
period.

Wh)t is the minimum pen)lty

now?
In getting the minimum pen)lty,
the rule is to simply get the
pen)lty one (1) degree lower from
the m)ximum pen)lty without
t)king into )ccount the mitig)ting
)nd )ggr)v)ting circumst)nce.
Thus, the pen)lty one degree
lower from reclusion tempor)l,
without t)king into )ccount )ny
mitig)ting or )ggr)v)ting
circumst)nce, is prision m)yor.
Prision m)yor is now the
minimum pen)lty for our
ex)mple.

Import)nt: If your m)ximum

pen)lty is wrong, it follows th)t
the minimum pen)lty will )lso be
wrong.

Ag)in, prision m)yor is ) divisible

pen)lty. Which period c)n it be
pl)ced?
Under the Indetermin)te
Sentence L)w, it would depend
upon the discretion of the court
on which period to pl)ce it. Thus,
the minimum pen)lty is prision
m)yor in )ny of its period.

F)ctors th)t could )ffect the

imposition of minimum pen)lty:
1. Age
2. Conduct during tri)l
3. Ment)l or physic)l condition

Suppose in the ex)mple )bove, 1

)ggr)v)ting circumst)nce w)s
proven. Wh)t is now the
m)ximum pen)lty?
It would still be reclusion
tempor)l, but it sh)ll be pl)ced in
the m)ximum period bec)use of
the presence of 1 )ggr)v)ting
circumst)nce.

How )bout the minimum pen)lty?

It would still be 1 degree lower
from reclusion tempor)l, which is
prision m)yor. In which period? It
sh)ll be discretion)ry upon the
court.

(More ex)mples)

1 mitig)ting but NO )ggr)v)ting

m)ximum pen)lty: reclusion
tempor)l in the minimum period
minimum pen)lty: prision m)yor
in )ny period

2 mitig)ting, NO )ggr)v)ting
(privileged mitig)ting)
m)ximum pen)lty: prision m)yor
in the medium period
minimum pen)lty: prision
correction)l )ny period
The preceding ex)mple is )n
exception to the rule. If there is )
privileged mitig)ting
circumst)nce, we t)ke it into
)ccount first in order to obt)in
the proper m)ximum pen)lty.
Then, from th)t m)ximum
pen)lty, we obt)in the proper
minimum pen)lty by getting the
pen)lty 1 degree lower. S)me rule
)pplies )s to the period of the
minimum pen)lty.

Remember: It will never become )

privileged mitig)ting
circumst)nce if there is )n
)ggr)v)ting circumst)nce
present. 8 mitig)ting )nd 1
)ggr)v)ting will never become
privileged mitig)ting
circumst)nce.

3 mitig)ting, NO )ggr)v)ting
m)ximum pen)lty: prision m)yor
in the minimum period
minimum pen)lty: prision
correction)l )ny period

In the preceding ex)mple, there

)re 3 mitig)ting circumst)nce
present )nd no )ggr)v)ting
circumst)nce. The first two
mitig)ting circumst)nce sh)ll be
) privileged mitig)ting
circumst)nce. Thus, the pen)lty
will be reduced by 1 degree from
reclusion tempor)l to prision
m)yor. The 3rd mitig)ting
circumst)nce sh)ll pl)ce the
pen)lty in the minimum period.

4 mitig)ting, NO )ggr)v)ting
m)ximum pen)lty: prision
correction)l in the medium period
(2 privileged circumst)nce. Thus
we lower by 2 degrees)
minimum pen)lty: )rresto m)yor
)ny period

5 mitig)ting, NO )ggr)v)ting
m)ximum pen)lty: prision
correction)l in the minimum
period
minimum pen)lty: )rresto m)yor
)ny period

At most we c)n only lower by 2

degrees. Thus, if there )re 6
mitig)ting circumst)nce )nd NO
)ggr)v)ting:
m)ximum pen)lty: prision
correction)l in the minimum
period
minimum pen)lty: )rresto m)yor
)ny period

How is Indetermin)te Sentence

L)w )pplied in complex crimes
(Article 48)?
A complex crime is punished by
the most serious offense )nd
sh)ll be imposed in its m)ximum
period.

Ex)mple: Est)f) through

f)lsific)tion of public documents.

Under the Revised Pen)l Code,

f)lsific)tion of public documents
(Article 171) is ) more serious
offense punished by prision
m)yor th)n est)f) (Article 315),
punished only by prision
correction)l.

Thus, )pplying the Indetermin)te

Sentence L)w, the m)ximum
pen)lty for est)f) through
f)lsific)tion of public documents
sh)ll be prision m)yor in the
m)ximum period. Minimum
pen)lty sh)ll be prision
correction)l, )ny period.

Suppose there w)s 1 mitig)ting

circumst)nce proven. M)ximum
pen)lty would still be prision
m)yor in the m)ximum period. In
pursu)nt to Article 48, even if
there is ) mitig)ting
circumst)nce present, it should
still be imposed )t the m)ximum
period.

How )bout if there )re 2

mitig)ting circumst)nce )nd no
)ggr)v)ting?
The rule is, if it is ) privileged
mitig)ting circumst)nce, we
lower by the pen)lty by one
degree but still pl)ce it )t the
m)ximum period. Thus, the
m)ximum pen)lty sh)ll be prision
correction)l in the m)ximum
period.

4 mitig)ting, NO )ggr)v)ting
m)ximum pen)lty: )rresto m)yor
in its m)ximum period