AMENDING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 433 ENTITLED, "GRANTING GENERAL AMNESTY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND OTHER PERSONS FOR VIOLATION OF ELECTION LAWS AND OTHER RELATED STATUTES IN CONNECTION WITH THE ELECTION OF 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971 AND THE ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION."

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 598
• Sections: 5

Preamble

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 433 dated April 8, 1974,

granting general amnesty under certain conditions to violators of

election laws and under related statutes applies only to: (1) Those

"facing charges" and (2) "All public school teachers, other government

officials and employees, members of the Armed Forces of the

Philippines," not including other persons outside of the government

service;

WHEREAS, there are valid reasons to broaden the limited

applicability of Presidential Decree No. 433 so as to include the

following: (1) other persons who may not necessarily be public school

teachers, other government employees, members of the Armed Forces of the

Philippines; (2) persons who have been sentenced under final judgment,

including those who have already served the penalties imposed upon them

but are still subject to accessory penalties; (3) persons involved in

the violation of laws relative to the election of barrio or barangay

officials; and (4) persons involved in the violation of decrees relative

to the national referendum of July 27-28, 1973, not previously entitled

to amnesty; and

WHEREAS, broadening the scope of amnesty would

correspondingly strengthen the government's moral posture vis-a-vis the

"continuing effort of the leadership to heal the wounds inflicted in the

past and to provide a fresh start for all concerned to help build the

New Society;"

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the

Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution,

do hereby decree and order: SECTION 1. Section 1 of Presidential Decree

No. 433 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. General Amnesty is hereby granted to all public

school teachers, other government officials and employees, members of

the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other persons facing charges or

who have been sentenced under final judgment including those who have

already served the penalties imposed upon them, for violation of

election laws or other related statutes in connection with the elections

of 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, and the election of Delegates to the

Constitutional Convention, all the barrio or barangay elections, and the

referendum of July 27-28, 1973, subject to the conditions provided in

the succeeding section."

Section 2

SEC. 2. A new section shall be inserted between Sec. 3 and

Section 3

SEC. 3. The Commission on Elections shall promulgate rules

and regulations to implement this decree.

Section 4

Sec. 4 to be known as "Sec. 3-A" and shall read as follows:

"SEC. 3-A. Without prejudice to the right of any person

serving sentence to avail of the benefits of this decree by directly

petitioning the Commission on Elections, the courts shall furnish the

Commission on Elections with a list of persons who may have been

convicted therein for the offenses covered by this decree. The

Commission on Elections shall then determine who are entitled to amnesty

as herein provided.

"In the case of a person who has served his sentence or is

pardoned conditionally, or is under parole and still subject to

accessory penalties, such person may petition the Commission on

Elections to declare him entitled to the amnesty granted herein."

Section 4

SEC. 4. This

Deere shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 3rd of December in the year

of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.

(Sgd.)

FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.)

ALEJANDRO MELCHOR

Executive Secretary