Text of the provision

Sec. 72. Liability of a Person Who Violates the Confidentiality of Records. – The penalty of imprisonment ranging from six

(6) months and one

(1) day to six

(6) years and a fine ranging from One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) to Six thousand pesos (P6,000.00), shall be imposed upon any person who, having official custody of or access to the confidential records of any drug dependent under voluntary submission programs, or anyone who, having gained possession of said records, whether lawfully or not, reveals their content to any person other than those charged with the prosecution of the offenses under this Act and its implementation. The maximum penalty shall be imposed, in addition to absolute perpetual disqualification from any public office, when the offender is a government official or employee. Should the records be used for unlawful purposes, such as blackmail of the drug dependent or the members of his/her family, the penalty imposed for the crime of violation of confidentiality shall be in addition to whatever crime he/she may be convicted of.

Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, Republic Act No. 9165 (2002). Reproduced in full from the official enactment and verified word-for-word against the LawPhil and ChanRobles renderings.

What this section means

Anyone with official custody of, access to, or possession (lawful or not) of the confidential records of a drug dependent under voluntary submission who reveals their contents to persons outside those charged with prosecuting offences under this Act faces imprisonment of six (6) months and one (1) day to six (6) years and a fine of One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) to Six thousand pesos (P6,000.00). A government official or employee suffers the maximum penalty plus absolute perpetual disqualification from public office, and where the records are used for unlawful ends such as blackmail, this penalty is imposed in addition to any other crime of which the offender is convicted.

Related provisions

Cases citing this section

Note. The text above is reproduced in full from Republic Act No. 9165, verified against the LawPhil and ChanRobles renderings. The annotation around it is the work of Vivas & Nobles Law Office and is general legal information, not legal advice. How a provision applies to a particular situation depends on facts that only a lawyer reviewing your case can assess.