QuestionsQuestions (Act No. 1773)
Act No. 1773 covers the crimes of adulterio, estupro, rapto, violacion, calumnia, and injuria as defined by the Penal Code of the Philippine Islands.
The covered crimes are deemed public crimes and are prosecuted in the same manner as other crimes under the Penal Code or acts of the Philippine Commission.
No prosecution may be instituted for adulterio, estupro, or injuria committed against persons other than public officials or employees unless it is upon the complaint of the aggrieved person or the parents, grandparents, or guardian.
The complaint may be filed by the aggrieved person or by the parents, grandparents, or guardian of the aggrieved person.
No. Condonation, pardon, or remission by the aggrieved person or their specified relatives does not affect the liability of the guilty person or persons to criminal prosecution and punishment.
No. Such condonation, pardon, or remission does not operate to dismiss or suspend any prosecution once commenced.
In cases of estupro, rapto, or violacion, the legal marriage of the accused or convicted person to the aggrieved person extinguishes the criminal liability.
It provides that legal marriage between the accused or convicted person and the aggrieved person extinguishes criminal liability in those cases.
The aggrieved person (or their parents, grandparents, or guardian) may also bring a civil action to recover civil damages—described in the Act as civil additional damages—from the guilty person.
No. The remedy is deemed additional and does not revoke, repeal, or modify other existing civil remedies.
No. Section 3 expressly states that nothing in the Act shall be construed to modify or repeal Act No. 277 (the libel and threats to publish libel act), as amended.
It repeals so much of the Penal Code of the Philippine Islands as is inconsistent with Act No. 1773.
It means the covered crimes are handled procedurally like other Penal Code/Philippine Commission offenses, subject only to the complaint requirement in the proviso for certain situations.
Yes. Section 3 allows the aggrieved person or their specified relatives to bring a civil action for additional damages when criminal prosecution for the covered offenses might be brought.
It prevents the private reconciliation of the parties from stopping an already initiated criminal process, reinforcing the public character of the offenses.
It shall take effect on its passage.