QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 2370)
The text is Executive Order No. 141 (Aug. 12, 1999). Its main purpose is to prohibit the forgery and unauthorized use of the Seal of the President of the Philippines and to penalize violations.
Executive Order No. 38 (s. 1947), as amended by Executive Order No. 451 (s. 1951), adopted the Coat of Arms, Seal and Flag of the President and Vice President. Executive Order No. 19 (s. 1998) specifies the design of the Seal of the President.
Only the President of the Republic of the Philippines has exclusive use of the Seal; any other person or organization is prohibited from using it.
No. Section 1 broadly prohibits “any other person and/or organization” from using the Seal, without providing an exception for organizations or official purposes.
Unauthorized use in various forms such as stickers, stamps, business cards, passes, car plates, clothing, tokens, souvenirs, and stationeries.
It prohibits not only unauthorized use but also unauthorized manufacture, sale, and distribution of the Seal in various forms such as those stated.
Section 2 states that violators “shall be subjected to the penalties as provided for under Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code.” This ties liability to the corresponding criminal offense and penalty under that Article.
Section 3 addresses the “forgery or fraudulent alteration of the Seal of the President.”
Section 3 provides that violators “shall be subjected to the penalties as provided for under Article 161 of the Revised Penal Code.”
The executive order treats them as different prohibited acts with different governing penalty provisions under the Revised Penal Code—Article 179 for unauthorized use and Article 161 for forgery or fraudulent alteration.
The Presidential Security Group (as lead), Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, Metro Manila Development Authority, and the Land Transportation Office must immediately enforce and ensure proper implementation, monitoring, apprehension and confiscation, investigation, and filing of appropriate charges.
Monitoring, apprehension and confiscation, investigation, and filing of appropriate charges for violations.
Section 5 prohibits the use of pins with the Seal of the President and “ERAP” Plates.
Within twenty (20) days from the date of effectivity, the Presidential Security Group must submit to the Office of the President through the Presidential Management Staff a report on implementation of the order.
It states that the order “shall take effect immediately.”
Section 2 would likely apply because it prohibits unauthorized use and also the unauthorized manufacture, sale, and distribution of the Seal in forms such as “tokens” and similar items; penalties would be under Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code.