AN ACT PUNISHING THE CRIME OF COUP D''ETAT BY AMENDING ARTICLES 134

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Republic Act No. 6968

Amending the Revised Penal Code on Rebellion, Coup d'État, Sedition and Disloyalty

• Renames the chapter heading to include "Coup d'État" (Section 1)
• Defines "rebellion or insurrection" as rising and taking arms against the government to remove allegiance or deprive powers from the executive or legislature (Section 2)
• Defines "coup d'état" as a swift attack with violence, intimidation, threat, strategy or stealth against constituted authorities, military camps, communications, utilities, etc. to seize or diminish state power (Section 3)
• Penalties for rebellion, insurrection or coup d'état (Section 4):
- Leading rebellion/insurrection: reclusion perpetua
- Participating in rebellion/insurrection: reclusion temporal
- Leading coup d'état: reclusion perpetua
- Government personnel participating in coup d'état: reclusion temporal maximum period
- Non-government personnel participating/supporting coup d'état: prision mayor maximum period
- Unknown leaders treated as leaders based on their actions
• Conspiracy and proposal penalties (Section 5):
- Coup d'état: prision mayor minimum period and fine up to ₱8,000
- Rebellion/insurrection: prision correccional maximum period and fine up to ₱5,000 / prision correccional medium period and fine up to ₱2,000
• Repeals inconsistent laws (Section 6)
• Separability clause for unconstitutional provisions (Section 7)
• Effectivity upon approval and publication in at least 2 newspapers (Section 8)