Solon wants repeal
of 'archaic crime,
ALBAY Representative
Edcel Lagniar filed a
bill seeklng to repeal
Article 133 of the Revised
Penal Code or the Archa-
ic Crime.
LagnansajdHouse Bill
5070 is in memorv of Car_
los Celdran, one 6fthe ad:
vocates of the Reproduc_
tive Health T.aw -
Lagman underscored
that Celdran died a free
man beca use the Suprerne
Courtfailed toEsoh;ewith
finality his latest pending
mohon torrecorsideratioi
of hisimprovidentconvic-
tron tor "woruldins reli_
gious feelings.',
It is now inormbent on
the Congess to accordius-
tice and redress to Celdl-an
by repealing Article 133
which is "an odious rem_
nantof theDarkAges,,and
"offensive to the freedom fere in secular aJfuirs like
or elpr.esslot
: preventing the passage of
. of the ar- he neproducti've Ue"alth
At lhe height
duous crusade for the en_ Bill evdtasprotestant
bish_
:Sb",".nt 9{ qg.Fq-duc- ops did not oppose fie
bve,Health. Bill, now Re_
ptrbtic Act No. 10354,
nieasure,,, t"gi,."i
"who iat*.
on Celdian, was
iiil:T:::""3"%
uonat,hero Jose Rizal,
walked_towdrdsthe mah
;'f: *tff"ty [3xTr.*:
ftnding.€liglousfeelings;,
died
oY a h-eart attaci in
attar ol the N{aiila Cathe- Madrid last
October g.
or^ar-.wnereane<tmenical Article 133 provides:
ffitffiitr*1'",i:#
brbtes by Catholic and
:1 #".xmg ;:ffitr
period to prision cor[_
Protrestant leaders.
bonal in id minimum oe-.
r_eroran raEect a plac_ riod shaltbeim."*l,,;-
ardx,r th the name ,,Dam- anyone
*to,,in i"ir."
ds{, m rcrerence to lhe vil_ devoted to reLigious woi_
ffiifi trfr trs#{ " ..;ti:l*rorf,:s*l
.. u was dear poUtical mony
a
il pJf"..
rhat ur ike e-"- nooiioustyoif*rsiueLlii
"t
u"G
:tltejlent
qre uamdso, the Catholic feelings oi the foifful.;*
rueral_cny must not inter_ Lagman asserled that
. Artide 133 is ,,utterlv sub_
iective and leaves io the
lmdue discretion of the
court to divirie the incul_
patoryelementof ,wound_
ed rligious feelings,. I t is
an amorphous offense and
fails to set any obiective
-the
standards on
men of the crime-,, "
ipava_
He stressed that the
ofAriide 133 ofthe
repeal
Revised penal Code will
foredose similarprosecu_
tions and travaili of well_
meaning critics which
Celdran uniustifiabtv suf_
,
fered and endured-
Je$er fhdasta3
P^9 €1