Revised Penal Code | Book Two Crimes and Penalties including the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002

Article 161

Counterfeiting the great seal of the Government of the Philippine Islands, forging the signature or stamp of the Chief Executive. - The penalty of reclusion temporal shall be imposed upon any person who shall forge the Great Seal of the Government of the Philippine Islands or the signature or stamp of the Chief Executive.

Article 162

The penalty of prision mayor shall be imposed upon any person who shall knowingly make use of the counterfeit seal or forged signature or stamp mentioned in the preceding article. Section Two. - Counterfeiting Coins

Article 163

Any person who makes, imports, or utters false coins, in connivance with counterfeiters, or importers, shall suffer: 1. Prisión correccional in its minimum and medium periods and a fine not to exceed Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000), if the counterfeited coins be any of the coinage of the Philippines. 2. Prisión correccional in its minimum period and a fine not to exceed Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000), if the counterfeited coin be currency of a foreign country. (As amended by R.A. No. 4202, approved June 19, 1965, Republic Act No. 10951, [August 29, 2017]).

Article 164

The penalty of prisión correccional in its minimum period and a fine not to exceed Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000) shall be imposed upon any person who shall mutilate coins of the legal currency of the Philippines or import or utter mutilated current coins, or in connivance with mutilators or importers. (as amended by Republic Act No. 10951, [August 29, 2017])

Article 165

The person who knowingly, although without the connivance mentioned in the preceding articles, shall possess false or mutilated coin with intent to utter the same, or shall actually utter such coin, shall suffer a penalty lower by one degree than that prescribed in said articles. Section Three. - Forging treasury or bank notes, obligations and securities; importing and uttering false or forged notes, obligations and securities.

Article 166

Forging treasury or bank notes on other documents payable to bearer; importing, and uttering such false or forged notes and documents. - The forging or falsification of treasury or bank notes or certificates or other obligations and securities payable to bearer and the importation and uttering in connivance with forgers or importers of such false or forged obligations or notes, shall be punished as follows: 1. By reclusion temporal in its minimum period and a fine not to exceed Two million pesos (P2,000,000), if the document which has been falsified, counterfeited, or altered is an obligation or security of the Philippines. The words 'obligation or security of the Philippines' shall mean all bonds, certificates of indebtedness, national bank notes, coupons, Philippine notes, treasury notes, fractional notes, certificates of deposit, bills, checks, or drafts for money, drawn by or upon authorized officers of the Philippines, and other representatives of value, of whatever denomination, which have been or may be issued under any act of Congress. 2. By prisión mayor in its maximum period and a fine not to exceed One million pesos (P1,000,000), if the falsified or altered document is a circulating note issued by any banking association duly authorized by law to issue the same. 3. By prisión mayor in its medium period and a fine not to exceed One million pesos (P1,000,000), if the falsified or counterfeited document was issued by a foreign government. 4. By prisión mayor in its minimum period and a fine not to exceed Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000), when the forged or altered document is a circulating note or bill issued by a foreign bank duly authorized therefor. (as amended by Republic Act No. 10951, [August 29, 2017])

Article 167

Any person who shall forge, import or utter, in connivance with the forgers or importers, any instrument payable to order or other document of credit not payable to bearer, shall suffer the penalties of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods and a fine not exceeding One million two hundred thousand pesos (P1,200,00).

Article 168

Illegal possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit. - Unless the act be one of those coming under the provisions of any of the preceding articles, any person who shall knowingly use or have in his possession, with intent to use any of the false or falsified instruments referred to in this section, shall suffer the penalty next lower in degree than that prescribed in said articles.

Article 169

The forgery referred to in this section may be committed by any of the following means: 1. By giving to a treasury or bank note or any instrument, payable to bearer or order mentioned therein, the appearance of a true genuine document. 2. By erasing, substituting, counterfeiting or altering by any means the figures, letters, words or signs contained therein. Section Four. - Falsification of legislative, public, commercial, and private documents, and wireless, telegraph, and telephone message.

Article 170

The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine not exceeding One million two hundred thousand pesos (P1,200,000) shall be imposed upon any person who, without proper authority therefor alters any bill, resolution, or ordinance enacted or approved or pending approval by either House of Congress or any provincial board or municipal council.

Article 171

The penalty of prision mayor and a fine not to exceed One million pesos (P1,000,000) shall be imposed upon any public officer, employee, or notary who, taking advantage of his official position, shall falsify a document by committing any of the following acts: 1. Counterfeiting or imitating any handwriting, signature or rubric; 2. Causing it to appear that persons have participated in any act or proceeding when they did not in fact so participate; 3. Attributing to persons who have participated in an act or proceeding statements other than those in fact made by them; 4. Making untruthful statements in a narration of facts; 5. Altering true dates; 6. Making any alteration or intercalation in a genuine document which changes its meaning; 7. Issuing in an authenticated form a document purporting to be a copy of an original document when no such original exists, or including in such a copy a statement contrary to, or different from, that of the genuine original; or 8. Intercalating any instrument or note relative to the issuance thereof in a protocol, registry, or official book. The same penalty shall be imposed upon any ecclesiastical minister who shall commit any of the offenses enumerated in the preceding paragraphs of this article, with respect to any record or document of such character that its falsification may affect the civil status of persons.

Article 172

The penalty of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods and a fine of not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000) shall be imposed upon: 1. Any private individual who shall commit any of the falsifications enumerated in the next preceding article in any public or official document or letter of exchange or any other kind of commercial document; and 2. Any person who, to the damage of a third party, or with the intent to cause such damage, shall in any private document commit any of the acts of falsification enumerated in the next preceding article. Any person who shall knowingly introduce in evidence in any judicial proceeding or to the damage of another or who, with the intent to cause such damage, shall use any of the false documents embraced in the next preceding article, or in any of the foregoing subdivisions of this article, shall be punished by the penalty next lower in degree.

Article 173

Falsification of wireless, cable, telegraph and telephone messages, and use of said falsified messages.- The penalty of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods shall be imposed upon officer or employee of the Government or of any private corporation or concern engaged in the service of sending or receiving wireless, cable or telephone message who utters a fictitious wireless, telegraph or telephone message of any system or falsifies the same. Any person who shall use such falsified dispatch to the prejudice of a third party or with the intent of cause such prejudice, shall suffer the penalty next lower in degree. Section Five. - Falsification of medical certificates, certificates of merit or services and the like.

Article 174

The penalties of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period and a fine not to exceed Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000) shall be imposed upon: 1. Any physician or surgeon who, in connection, with the practice of his profession, shall issue a false certificate; and 2. Any public officer who shall issue a false certificate of merit of service, good conduct or similar circumstances. The penalty of arresto mayor shall be imposed upon any private person who shall falsify a certificate falling within the classes mentioned in the two preceding subdivisions.

Article 175

The penalty of arresto menor shall be imposed upon any one who shall knowingly use any of the false certificates mentioned in the next preceding article. Section Six. - Manufacturing, importing and possession of instruments or implements intended for the commission of falsification.

Article 176

The penalty of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods and a fine not to exceed One million pesos (P1,000,000) shall be imposed upon any person who shall make or introduce into the Philippines any stamps, dies, marks, or other instruments or implements intended to be used in the commission of the offenses of counterfeiting or falsification mentioned in the preceding sections of this Chapter. Any person who, with the intention of using them, shall have in his possession any of the instruments or implements mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, shall suffer the penalty next lower in degree than that provided therein. Section One. - Usurpation of authority, rank, title, and improper use of names, uniforms and insignia.