[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11594, October 29, 2021 ]

AN ACT INCREASING THE PENALTIES FOR PERJURY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLES 183 AND 184 OF THE ACT NO. 3815, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE REVISED PENAL CODE"

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Article 183 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as "The Revised Penal Code", is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Article 183. False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation. - The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum 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.

Any person who, in case of a solemn affirmation made in lieu of an oath, shall commit any of the falsehoods mentioned in this and the three preceding articles of this section, shall suffer the respective penalties provided therein: Provided, That is the person responsible for the commission of this felony is a public officer or employee, the penalty shall be imposed in its maximum period: Provided, finally, That the offender shall also suffer a fine not to exceed One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) and perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any appointive or elective position in the government or in any agency, entity, or instrumentality thereof."

SEC. 2. Article 184 of the same act, as amended, is hereby further amended to read 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."

SEC. 3. If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions thereof.

SEC. 4. All laws, rules and regulations that may be inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,
   
   
 

This Act which is a of Senate Bill No. 1354 and House Bill No. 8268 was passed by the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives on August 23, 2021 and August 31, 2021, respectively.

Approved: OCT 29 2021

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
    President of the Philippines   

Source: Supreme Court E-Library