President Duterte has signed a law prescribing stiffer penalties for the crime of perjury.
Enacted was Republic Act (RA) No.11594, titled, "An Act increasing the penalties for perjury, amending for the purpose Articles 183 and 184 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as 'The Revised Penal Code.'"
It was approved by Duterte last Oct. 29. Reporters covering Malacañang only received a copy of the new statute on Thursday, Nov.4.
Section 1 of the new law says, "Article 183 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as 'The Revised Penal Code,' is hereby amended to read as follow:
Article 183. False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation. -- The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period to prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who, knowingly making untruthful statements and not being included in the provisions of the next preceding articles, shall testify under oath, or make an affidavit, upon any material matter before a competent person authorized to administer an oath in cases in which the law so requires."
Prision mayor is an "afflictive" type of penalty in terms of incarceration. It's minimum period is six years and one day to eight years, while its medium period is eight years and one day to 10 year.
It is also stated in RA No.11594 that any person who, in case of a solemn affirmation made in lieu of an oath, shall commit any of the falsehoods mentioned and the three preceding articles of this section, shall suffer the respective penalties provided therein.
If the person is responsible for the commission of this penalty is a public officer or employee, the penalty of prision mayor shall be imposed in its maximum period, which is 10 years and one day to 12 years.
It further said that the offender shall also suffer a fine not more than P1 million, plus perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any appointive or elective position in the government or in any agency, entity, or instrumentality thereof.
Meanwhile, Section 2 of RA No.11594 provides that Article 184 of the Revised Penal Code be amended as follows:
"Article 184. Offering false testimony in evidence. -- Any person who shall willfully and knowingly offer in evidence a false witness or testimony in any judicial or official proceeding, shall be punished as guilty of false testimony and shall suffer the respective penalties provided in this section."
The new law resulted from the consolidation of Senate Bill (SB) No.1354 and House Bill (HB) No.8268.