Statute
Revised Penal Code
Article
Art. 48
Topic
Statutory provision
Status
In force
Year
1930
Cited by
Multiple Supreme Court decisions

The provision

Art. 48. Penalty for complex crimes. — When a single act constitutes two or more grave or less grave felonies, or when an offense is a necessary means for committing the other, the penalty for the most serious crime shall be imposed, the same to be applied in its maximum period.

Intellegal Wiki · In plain terms

Covers complex crimes: when a single act produces two or more grave or less grave felonies, or when one offense is the necessary means to commit another, only one penalty is imposed—that for the most serious crime—applied in its maximum period. This treats the linked offenses as one for purposes of sentencing.

An editorially maintained plain-language explanation of this provision — not legal advice.

Cases applying this article

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Reviewed by the Intellegal Legal Team for currency against amending laws and Supreme Court jurisprudence.

Research aid — not legal advice. Verify the current text against the Official Gazette. Provisions may have been amended or repealed. Using this page creates no attorney-client relationship. For legal advice, consult a Philippine lawyer.