PRESCRIBING STIFFER PENALTIES ON ILLEGAL GAMBLING

WHEREAS, Philippine Gambling Laws such as Articles 195-199 of the Revised Penal Code (Forms of Gambling and Betting), R.A. 3063 (Horse racing Bookies), P.D. 449 (Cockfighting), P.D. 483 (Game Fixing), P.D. 510 (Slot Machines) in relation to Opinion Nos. 33 and 97 of the Ministry of Justice, P.D. 1306 (Jai-Alai Bookies) and other City and Municipal Ordinances or gambling all over the country prescribe penalties which are inadequate to discourage or stamp out this pernicious activities;

WHEREAS, there is now a need to increase their penalties to make them more effective in combating this social menace which dissipate the energy and resources of our people;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree:

Section 1. Penalties. The following penalties are hereby imposed:

(a) The penalty of prision correccional in its medium period of a fine ranging from one thousand to six thousand pesos, and in case of recidivism, the penalty of prision mayor in its medium period or a fine ranging from five thousand to ten thousand pesos shall be imposed upon:

1. Any person other than those referred to in the succeeding sub-sections who in any manner, shall directly or indirectly take part in any illegal or unauthorized activities or games of cockfighting, jueteng, jai alai or horse racing to include bookie operations and game fixing, numbers, bingo and other forms of lotteries; cara y cruz, pompiang and the like; 7-11 and any game using dice; black jack, lucky nine, poker and its derivatives, monte, baccarat, cuajao, pangguingue and other card games; paik que, high and low, mahjong, domino and other games using plastic tiles and the likes; slot machines, roulette, pinball and other mechanical contraptions and devices; dog racing, boat racing, car racing and other forms of races, basketball, boxing, volleyball, bowling, pingpong and other forms of individual or team contests to include game fixing, point shaving and other machinations; banking or percentage game, or any other game scheme, whether upon chance or skill, wherein wagers consisting of money, articles of value or representative of value are at stake or made;

2. Any person who shall knowingly permit any form of gambling referred to in the preceding subparagraph to be carried on in inhabited or uninhabited place or in any building, vessel or other means of transportation owned or controlled by him. If the place where gambling is carried on has a reputation of a gambling place or that prohibited gambling is frequently carried on therein, or the place is a public or government building or barangay hall, the malefactor shall be punished by prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine of six thousand pesos.

(b) The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period or a fine of six thousand pesos shall be imposed upon the maintainer or conductor of the above gambling schemes.

(c) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period with temporary absolute disqualification or a fine of six thousand pesos shall be imposed if the maintainer, conductor or banker of said gambling schemes is a government official, or where such government official is the player, promoter, referee, umpire, judge or coach in case of game fixing, point shaving and machination.

(d) The penalty of prision correccional in its medium period or a fine ranging from four hundred to two thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who shall, knowingly and without lawful purpose in any hour of any day, possess any lottery list, paper or other matter containing letters, figures, signs or symbols pertaining to or in any manner used in the games of jueteng, jai-alai or horse racing bookies, and similar games of lotteries and numbers which have taken place or about to take place.

(e) The penalty of temporary absolute disqualifications shall be imposed upon any barangay official who, with knowledge of the existence of a gambling house or place in his jurisdiction fails to abate the same or take action in connection therewith.

(f) The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period or a fine ranging from five hundred pesos to two thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any security officer, security guard, watchman, private or house detective of hotels, villages, buildings, enclosures and the like which have the reputation of a gambling place or where gambling activities are being held.

Section 2. Informer's reward. Any person who shall disclose information that will lead to the arrest and final conviction of the malfactor shall be rewarded twenty percent of the cash money or articles of value confiscated or forfeited in favor of the government.

Section 3. Repealing Clause. Provisions of Art. 195-199 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, Republic Act No. 3063, Presidential Decrees Numbered 483, 449, 510 and 1306, letters of instructions, laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, city and municipal ordinances which are inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed.

Section 4. Effectivity. This Decree shall take effect immediately upon publication at least once in a newspaper of general circulation.

Done in the City of Manila, this 11th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-eight.