Text of the provision
Art. 79. Suspension of the execution and service of the penalties in case of insanity. -When a convict shall become insane or an imbecile after final sentence has been pronounced, the execution of said sentence shall be suspended only with regard to the personal penalty, the provisions of the second paragraph of circumstance number 1 of article 12 being observed in the corresponding cases. If at any time the convict shall recover his reason, his sentence shall be executed, unless the penalty shall have prescribed in accordance with the provisions of this Code. The respective provisions of this section shall also be observed if the insanity or imbecility occurs while the convict is serving his sentence.
Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, Act No. 3815, as amended. Reproduced in full from the official enactment and verified against the LawPhil and ChanRobles renderings.
What this article means
If a convict becomes insane or an imbecile after final sentence, service of the sentence is suspended only as to the personal penalty, following the second paragraph of circumstance number 1 of article 12. If he recovers his reason, the sentence is carried out unless it has already prescribed — and the same rules apply if the insanity strikes while he is serving.
Related provisions
- Article 78 — How A Penalty Is Executed.
- Article 82 — Notice And Manner Of Execution.
On this text. This article is reproduced as the Revised Penal Code enacted it, verified word-for-word against two independent sources. Republic Act No. 10951 (2017) revised the penalty amounts in many other articles of this Code; where an amount appears below it is the figure this article itself carries.
Cases interpreting this article
- Authorities on this article will be added here as each is verified against primary sources.