ART. 12. Circumstances which exempt from criminal liability. discernment, in which case, such child 5.
se, such child 5. That the act was committed in the immediate
– The following are exempt from criminal liability:
1. An imbecile or an insane person, unless the latter
has acted during a lucid interval.
When the imbecile or an insane person has
committed an act which the law defines as a
felony (delito), the court shall order his
confinement in one of the hospitals or asylums
established for persons thus afflicted, which he
shall not be permitted to leave without first
obtaining the permission of the same court.
2. A child 15 years of age or under at the time of the
commission of the offense is exempt from criminal
liability. The child shall be subjected to an
intervention program pursuant to Sec. 29 of the
Act. (Sec. 6, RA 9344, Minimum Age of Criminal
Responsibility);
3. A child above 15 years of age but below 18 years
of age shall likewise be exempt from criminal
liability and he be subjected to an intervening
program, unless he/she has acted with
discernment, in which case, such child shall be
subjected to the appropriate proceedings in
accordance with this Act. (Sec. 6, RA 9344,
Minimum Ages of Criminal Responsibility);
Note: Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Art. 12 of the
Revised Penal Code have been amended by RA
9344 (a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1402 and
House Bill No. 5065) which was finally passed by
the Senate and House of Representatives on
March 22, 2006. RA 9344 took effect on May 21,
2006. Hence, the amendments above stated.
RA 9344 Sec. 6. Minimum Age of
Criminal Responsibility. – A child fifteen
(15) years of age or under at the time of
the commission of the offense shall be
exempt from criminal liability. However,
the child shall be subjected to an
intervention program pursuant to
Section 20 of this Act.
A child above fifteen (15) years but
below eighteen (18) years of age shall
likewise be exempt from criminal liability
and be subjected to an intervention
program, unless he/she has acted with
shall be subjected to the appropriate vindication of a grave offense to the one
proceedings in accordance with this Act. committing a felony (delito), his spouse,
ascendants, descendants, legitimate, natural or
The exemption from criminal adopted brothers or sisters, or relatives by affinity
liability herein established does not within the same degrees.
include exemption from civil liability,
which shall be enforced in accordance 6. That of having acted upon an impulse so powerful
with existing laws. as naturally to have produced passion or
obfuscation.
4. Any person who, while performing a lawful act with
due care, causes an injury by mere accident 7. That the offender had voluntarily surrendered
without fault of intention of causing it. himself to a person in authority or his agents, or
that he had voluntarily confessed his guilt before
5. Any person who acts under the compulsion of an the court prior to the presentation of the evidence
irresistible force. for the prosecution.
6. Any person who acts under the impulse of an 8. That the offender is deaf and dumb, blind, or
uncontrollable fear of an equal or greater injury. otherwise suffering some physical defect which
thus restricts his means of action, defense, or
7. Any person who fails to perform an act required by communication with his fellow beings.
law, when prevented by some lawful or
insuperable cause. 9. Such illness of the offender as would diminish the
exercise of the will-power of the offender without
however depriving him of consciousness of his
acts.
Chapter Three
10. And, finally, any other circumstances of a similar
CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MITIGATE nature and analogous to those above-mentioned.
CRIMINAL LIABILITY
ART. 13. Mitigating circumstances. – The following are
mitigating circumstances:
1. Those mentioned in the preceding chapter, when
all the requisites necessary to justify the act or to
exempt from criminal liability in the respective
cases are not attendant.
2. That the offender is under eighteen years of age
or over seventy years. In the case of the minor, he
shall be proceeded against in accordance with the
provisions of Article 80.
3. That the offender had no intention to commit so
grave a wrong as that committed.
4. The sufficient provocation or threat on the part of
the offended party immediately preceded the act.