Legal basis and amendment made
- Section 1 amends Article 152 of Act No. 3815 (the Revised Penal Code).
- Article 152 is updated to expand who counts as “persons in authority” for applying the Penal Code provisions.
- The amendment expressly covers the application of the preceding and other articles of the Code.
Definition of “persons in authority”
- Article 152 defines “persons in authority” for Penal Code application as any persons directly vested with jurisdiction.
- Article 152 includes persons vested with jurisdiction “whether as in individual or as a member of some court or governmental corporation, board or commission.”
- Article 152 further provides that, for applying Articles 148 and 151, teachers, professors, and persons charged with the supervision of public or duly recognized private schools, colleges, and universities are deemed persons in authority.
Coverage and who is included
- Teachers are deemed persons in authority when the Penal Code provisions under Articles 148 and 151 are applied.
- Professors are deemed persons in authority when the Penal Code provisions under Articles 148 and 151 are applied.
- Persons charged with the supervision of public schools, colleges, and universities are deemed persons in authority when the Penal Code provisions under Articles 148 and 151 are applied.
- Persons charged with the supervision of duly recognized private schools, colleges, and universities are deemed persons in authority when the Penal Code provisions under Articles 148 and 151 are applied.
Scope of Penal Code application
- Article 152 governs the application of the preceding and other articles of the Revised Penal Code by treating covered persons as persons in authority.
- Article 152 specifically governs the application of Articles 148 and 151 by deeming the covered education personnel as persons in authority.
Penalties and procedural rules
- Commonwealth Act No. 578 does not create standalone penalties or prescribe procedures.
- The law’s operative effect is the expansion of the legal definition of “persons in authority” to include specified education personnel for Articles 148 and 151.