Indeterminate Sentence Law (ISLAW): How to determine maximum and minimum penalties

(Act no 4103 as amended)

The Indeterminate Sentence Law is mandatory in all cases, EXCEPT if the accused will fall in any
of the following exceptions:

1. if sentenced with a penalty of death or life imprisonment

2. if convicted of treason, conspiracy, proposal to commit treason
3. if convicted of misprision of treason, sedition, rebellion or espionage
4. if convicted of piracy
5. if the offender is a habitual delinquent
6. those who escaped from prison or evaded sentence
7. those who violated the terms of conditional pardon of the chief executive
8. where the maximum term of imprisonment does not exceed 1 year (important!)
9. if convicted by final judgement at the time of the effectivity of Act No. 4103
10. if penalized with suspension or distierro

If accused fall in any of the foregoing exceptions. DO NOT APPLY ISLAW!

ISLAW applies to offenses punished by Special Law and Revised Penal Code.

Why is ISLAW mandatory?

In the application of the Indeterminate Sentence Law the judge will get the maximum penalty
and likewise the minimum penalty. If the accused was already able to serve the minimum term
of his indeterminate sentence and upon the approval of the Board, the accused now becomes
eligible for parole. ISLAW is favorable to the accused.

If the accused was granted parole and violated some conditions of the parole, What will
happen?
A warrant of arrest will be issued by the court and the accused will be made to serve the rest of
the remaining or unexpired portion of his sentence. (But in probation you go back to number 1,
serving of sentence will be from the beginning)

Application of ISLAW:

How to get maximum and minimum penalty in Special Law:

1. The maximum penalty should NOT exceed the maximum provided for by that law.
2. The minimum penalty should NOT fall below the minimum provided by the law.

How to get maximum and minimum penalty in Revised Penal Code:

Example: In the crime of homicide, under the Revised Penal Code, the offender is sentenced to
reclusion temporal.

The maximum penalty under the Indeterminate Sentence Law is reclusion temporal. But
reclusion temporal is a divisible penalty consisting of maximum, medium and minimum periods.
Which period will we place the maximum term of the Indeterminate Sentence?

Guide for determining the maximum penalty:

1. Determine the entire range of the penalty
2. Determine if there is mitigating or aggravating circumstance

Which period will the maximum penalty be placed?

In pursuant to art 64, when there is no mitigating and no aggravating circumstance, it should be
placed at the medium period. Thus, the maximum penalty for the example above is reclusion
temporal in the medium period.

What is the minimum penalty now?

In getting the minimum penalty, the rule is to simply get the penalty one (1) degree lower from
the maximum penalty without taking into account the mitigating and aggravating circumstance.
Thus, the penalty one degree lower from reclusion temporal, without taking into account any
mitigating or aggravating circumstance, is prision mayor. Prision mayor is now the minimum
penalty for our example.

Important: ​If your maximum penalty is wrong, it follows that the minimum penalty will also be
wrong.

Again, prision mayor is a divisible penalty. Which period can it be placed?

Under the Indeterminate Sentence Law, it would depend upon the discretion of the court on
which period to place it. Thus, the minimum penalty is prision mayor in any of its period.

Factors that could affect the imposition of minimum penalty:

1. Age
2. Conduct during trial
3. Mental or physical condition

Suppose in the example above, 1 aggravating circumstance was proven. What is now the
maximum penalty?
It would still be reclusion temporal, but it shall be placed in the maximum period because of the
presence of 1 aggravating circumstance.

How about the minimum penalty?

It would still be 1 degree lower from reclusion temporal, which is prision mayor. In which
period? It shall be discretionary upon the court.

(More examples)

1 mitigating but NO aggravating

maximum penalty: reclusion temporal in the minimum period
minimum penalty: prision mayor in any period

2 mitigating, NO aggravating (privileged mitigating)

maximum penalty: prision mayor in the medium period
minimum penalty: prision correctional any period

The preceding example is an exception to the rule. If there is a privileged mitigating

circumstance, we take it into account first in order to obtain the proper maximum penalty.
Then, from that maximum penalty, we obtain the proper minimum penalty by getting the
penalty 1 degree lower. Same rule applies as to the period of the minimum penalty.

Remember:​ It will never become a privileged mitigating circumstance if there is an aggravating

circumstance present. 8 mitigating and 1 aggravating will never become privileged mitigating
circumstances.

3 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: prision mayor in the minimum period
minimum penalty: prision correctional any period

In the preceding example, there are 3 mitigating circumstance present and no aggravating
circumstance. The first two mitigating circumstances shall be a privileged mitigating
circumstance. Thus, the penalty will be reduced by 1 degree from reclusion temporal to prision
mayor. The 3rd mitigating circumstance shall place the penalty in the minimum period.

4 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: prision correctional in the medium period (2 privileged circumstance. Thus
we lower by 2 degrees)
minimum penalty: arresto mayor any period

5 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: prision correctional in the minimum period
minimum penalty: arresto mayor any period

At most we can only lower by 2 degrees. Thus, if there are 6 mitigating circumstances and NO
aggravating:
maximum penalty: prision correctional in the minimum period
minimum penalty: arresto mayor any period

How is Indeterminate Sentence Law applied in complex crimes (Article 48)?

A complex crime is punished by the most serious offense and shall be imposed in its maximum
period.

Example: Estafa through falsification of public documents.

Under the Revised Penal Code, falsification of public documents (Article 171) is a more serious
offense punished by prision mayor than estafa (Article 315), punished only by prision
correctional.

Thus, applying the Indeterminate Sentence Law, the maximum penalty for estafa through
falsification of public documents shall be prision mayor in its maximum period. Minimum
penalty shall be prision correctional, any period.

Suppose there was 1 mitigating circumstance proven. Maximum penalty would still be prision
mayor in its maximum period. In pursuant to Article 48, even if there is a mitigating
circumstance present, it should still be imposed at the maximum period.

How about if there are 2 mitigating circumstances and no aggravating?

The rule is, if it is a privileged mitigating circumstance, we lower the penalty by one degree but
still place it at the maximum period. Thus, the maximum penalty shall be prision correctional in
its maximum period.

4 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: arresto mayor in its maximum perio