Presidential Decree No. 942 (PD 942) — Amending the Provisions of the Revised Penal Code on Crimes Against Public Order.
WHEREAS, it is primary goal of the martial law
administration to restore peace, order and normalcy to Philippine
conditions as early as possible;
WHEREAS, the attainment of this goal is greatly hampered by
certain elements of society who continue to pursue acts and engage in
activities destructive to the stability and security of the State;
WHEREAS, there is a pressing need to strengthen and
re-enforce the continuing campaign against subversion by increasing the
penalties for crimes against public order and by treating as distinct
other offenses committed in the course of the commission of such crimes;
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 as follows:
SECTION 1. Article one hundred and thirty-five of Act
Numbered Thirty-eight hundred and fifteen, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:
"ART. 135. Penalty for rebellion or insurrection.—Any
person who promotes, maintains, or heads a rebellion or insurrection,
or who, while holding any public office or employment takes part
therein, engaging in war against the forces of the Government,
destroying property or committing serious violence, exacting
contributions or diverting public funds from the lawful purpose for
which they have been appropriated, shall suffer the penalty of reclusion
temporal in its medium period and a fine not to exceed 20,000
pesos.
"Any person merely participating or executing the commands of
others in a rebellion shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal
in its minimum period.
"When the rebellion or insurrection shall be under the command
of unknown leaders, any person who in fact directed the others, spoke
for them, signed receipts and other documents issued in their name, or
performed similar acts, on behalf of the rebels shall be deemed the
leader of such rebellion."
SEC. 2. Article one hundred and thirty-six of the same Act
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"ART. 136. Conspiracy and proposal to commit rebellion
or insurrection.—The conspiracy and proposal to commit rebellion or
insurrection shall be punished, respectively, by prision mayor
in its maximum period and a fine which shall not exceed 5,000 pesos, and
by prision mayor in its medium period and a fine not exceeding
2,000 pesos."
SEC. 3. Article one hundred and thirty-seven of the same Act
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"ART. 137. Disloyalty of public officer or employees.—
The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be
imposed upon public officers or employees who have failed to resist a
rebellion by all means in their power, or shall continue to discharge
the duties of their offices under the control of the rebels or shall
accept appointment to office under them."
SEC. 4. Article one hundred and thirty-eight of the same Act
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"ART. 138. Inciting to rebellion or insurrection.—The
penalty of reclusion temporal in its minimum period shall be
imposed upon any person who, without taking arms or being in open
hostility against the Government, shall incite others to the execution
of any of the acts specified in article 134 of this Code, by means of
speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners or other
representations tending to the same end."
SEC. 5. Article one hundred and forty of the same Act is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"ART. 140. Penalty for sedition.—The leader of a
sedition shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its
minimum period and a fine not exceeding 10,000 pesos. Other persons
participating therein shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor
in its maximum period and fine not exceeding 5,000 pesos."
SEC. 6. Article one hundred and forty-one of the same Act is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"ART. 141. Conspiracy to commit sedition.—Persons
conspiring to commit the crime of sedition shall be punished by prision
mayor in its medium period and a fine not exceeding 2,000 pesos."
SEC. 7. Article one hundred and forty-two of the same Act is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"ART. 142. Inciting to sedition.—The penalty of prision
mayor in its maximum period and a fine not exceeding 2,000 pesos
shall be imposed upon any person who, without taking any direct part in
the crime of sedition, should incite others to the accomplishment of any
of the acts which constitute sedition, by means of speeches,
proclamations, writings, emblems, cartoons, banners, or other
representations tending to the same end, or upon any person or persons
who shall utter seditious words or speeches, write, publish or circulate
scurrilous libels against the Government of the Philippines, or any of
the duly constituted authorities thereof, or which tend to disturb or
obstruct any lawful officer in executing the functions of his office, or
which tend to instigate others to cabal and meet together for unlawful
purposes, or which suggest or incite rebellious conspiracies or riots,
or which lead to tend to stir up the people against the lawful
authorities or to disturb the peace of the community, the safety and
order of the Government, or who shall knowingly conceal such evil
practices."
SEC. 8. There is hereby added to the same Act, Article 142-A,
to be inserted after Article 142 thereof, and which shall read as
follows:
"ART. 142-A. Cases where other offenses are committed.—When
by reason or on the occasion of any of the crimes penalized in this
Chapter, acts which constitute offenses upon which graver penalties are
imposed by law are committed, the penalty for the most serious offense
in its maximum period shall be imposed upon the offender."
SEC. 9. This Decree shall take effect upon promulgation.
Done in the City of Manila, this 10th day of June, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-six.
(Sgd.)
FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.)
JACOBO C. CLAVE
Presidential Executive Assistant
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
