Title
Amendment to R.P.C. Art. 39 on Subsidiary Penalty
Law
Republic Act No. 10159
Decision Date
Apr 10, 2012
Republic Act No. 10159 amends the Revised Penal Code to establish subsidiary personal liability for convicts unable to pay fines, with specific rules regarding imprisonment duration and exceptions, and includes a separability and repealing clause.

Law Summary

Limits on Subsidiary Imprisonment Based on Principal Penalty

  • If the principal penalty is prision correccional or arresto plus a fine, subsidiary imprisonment lasts until the fine is satisfied, but:
    • Cannot exceed one-third of the sentence.
    • Cannot surpass one year in total.
    • No part of a day can be counted as imprisonment.
  • If the principal penalty is only a fine:
    • Subsidiary imprisonment is up to six months for grave or less grave felonies.
    • Up to fifteen days for light felonies.
  • No subsidiary imprisonment if the principal penalty is higher than prision correccional.

Subsidiary Penalty When Principal Penalty Is Non-confinement

  • If the principal penalty is non-confinement but time-based:
    • The convict must endure similar deprivations related to the penalty for the prescribed period under the subsidiary rules.

Financial Condition and Subsidiary Liability

  • Subsidiary imprisonment due to insolvency doesn’t exempt the convict from paying the fine if they later improve financially.

Separability Clause

  • Invalidity or unconstitutionality of any part does not affect the rest of the law, which remains valid.

Repealing Clause

  • All prior laws, issuances, or rules inconsistent with this amendment are repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

Effectivity

  • The Act takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or two newspapers of general circulation.

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