The Criminals Called Brigands

The Revised Penal Code defines who are brigands.  As defined in Article 306 of the said code, as quoted below:

"When more than three armed persons form a band or robbers for the purpose of committing robbery in the highway, or kidnapping persons for the purpose of extortion or to obtain ransom, for any other purpose to be attained by means of force and violence, they shall be deemed highway robbers or brigands."

A picture of brigands taken from bing images.

Based on the above-mentioned definition of brigands, they are at least four criminals who are armed persons for the purpose of committing:

1.  Robbery in the highway; or
2.  Kidnapping persons for the purpose of extortion or to obtain ransom; or
3.  For any other purpose to be attained by means of force and violence.

The crime committed by these brigands or highway robbers is known as brigandage.

The penalty to be imposed to brigands is prision mayor in its medium period to reclusion temporal in its minimum period if the act or acts committed by then are not punishable by higher penalties, in which case, they shall suffer such high penalties.

Prision mayor involves an imprisonment of 6 years and 1 day to 12 years, while reclusion temporal is an imprisonment of 12 years and 1 day to 20 years.

If any of the arms carried by at least 4 persons be an unlicensed firearm, it shall be presumed that said persons are brigands or highway robbers, and in case of conviction the penalty shall be imposed in the maximum period.

If any person who would aid and abet a band of brigands, he or she would also be liable under the same code.

Accordingly, any person knowingly and in any manner aiding, abetting or protecting a band of brigands or giving them information of the movements of the police or other peace officers of the Government, or acquiring or receiving the property taken by such brigands, shall be punished by prision correccional in its medium period to prision mayor in its minimum period.

It shall be presumed that the person performing any of the acts provided in the immediately preceding paragraph has performed them knowingly, unless the contrary is proven.

Prision correccional involves an imprisonment of 6 months and 1 day to 6 years.

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