MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) and University of the Philippines (UP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to Tuesday to start the herculean task of updating the country’s criminal code, which was last thoroughly revised in 1932.
Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, who signed on behalf of the DOJ, said the revision is targeted to be completed by June.
The draft will be sent to Congress for approval.
The revision will consolidate the 92-year-old Revised Penal Code (RPC or Act No. 3815), signed into law in 1930, and other penal laws.
Vasquez said there are around 10,000 subsequent criminal laws which have been passed since the enactment of the RPC.
He pointed out that some of the old RPC provisions have become obsolete or contentious, like the law on adultery which is “unequal” in its application.
UP College of Law Dean Darlene Berberabe said the signing of the MOU shows UP and DOJ’s shared commitment to strengthening the administration of justice in the Philippines.
“Through this partnership, we hope to achieve our shared goals of promoting law reform, capacity building and information sharing,” Berberabe said.
“This MOU represents more than just a partnership. It symbolizes a convergence of our collective strengths — the DOJ’s practical experience and policy making authority and the UP Law Center’s expertise in legal research and technical studies,” she added. (PNA)