Legal Remedies for Harassment via SMS and Phone Calls in the Philippines
1. What “harassment” looks like on the phone
| Conduct | Typical Philippine legal label |
|---|---|
| Repeated annoying or obscene calls/texts | Unjust Vexation (Art. 287, Revised Penal Code [RPC]) |
| Messages that threaten physical/financial harm | Grave Threats (Art. 282 RPC) |
| Persistent surveillance, tracking or monitoring | Cyberstalking / Cyber-harassment (s 4(c)(4) & 6, R.A. 10175) |
| Gender-based sexual remarks or slurs | Online Sexual Harassment (R.A. 11313 “Safe Spaces Act”) |
| Abuse by a spouse/partner, incl. “electronic VAWC” | Psychological Violence (R.A. 9262) |
| Harassment of a child | Child Abuse (R.A. 7610) |
These categories overlap; complainants often invoke several statutes at once. (How to Report and Block Phone Harassment Numbers Philippines)
2. Core criminal statutes
| Statute | Key provisions relevant to phone/SMS harassment | Penalties (after R.A. 10951, where applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Revised Penal Code (as amended) | • Unjust Vexation: any act causing irritation/annoyance without legal justification • Grave Threats: threats to commit a crime or harm one’s person/property |
Arresto menor or ₱1,000 – ₱40,000 fine for unjust vexation; up to arresto mayor + fine for threats depending on circumstances. (Republic Act No. 10951, G.R. No. 221443 - LawPhil) |
| R.A. 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women & Their Children Act) | Psychological violence sent “with the use of electronic, mechanical or otherwise” (text, chat, calls). | Prisión mayor (6 yrs 1 day – 12 yrs) + protection orders; also TPO/PPO, asset and child-custody relief. (G.R. No. 250219 - LawPhil) |
| R.A. 11313 (Safe Spaces Act) | Gender-based online sexual harassment—including via calls/SMS—punishable even if parties are not intimate partners. Employers and schools must act within set timelines. | Fine ₱10k–₱100k and/or community service; higher if committed by a group, public official, or employer. ('Safe Spaces Act' Increases Protections Against Sexual Harassment ..., [PDF] Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11313) |
| R.A. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act) | Adds one degree higher penalty when a “traditional” crime (e.g., threats, libel, stalking) is committed through a computer system, mobile phone, or similar ICT. | Penalties of underlying offense + one degree; cyber-libel up to prisión correccional + up to ₱1 M fine. (Republic Act No. 10175 - LawPhil, Online Harassment Philippines - Respicio & Co. Law Firm) |
| R.A. 11934 (SIM Registration Act – 2022) | Mandatory SIM registration facilitates tracing of abusive numbers; allows expedited blocking/disabling of SIMs used for scams or harassment upon order of the DICT/NTC, PNP or NBI. | Non-compliance: fines up to ₱1 M for telcos; imprisonment and fines for providing false info. (Republic Act No. 11934 - Lawphil, The SIM Card Registration Act - BusinessWorld Online) |
Note: If the victim is a child, R.A. 7610 may apply; if photos/videos are involved, see R.A. 9995 (Anti-Photo & Video Voyeurism). Data leaks or doxxing can trigger Data Privacy Act (R.A. 10173) penalties.
3. Step-by-step: asserting your rights
Preserve the evidence
- Screenshot full threads (showing sender’s number, timestamp, threats/content).
- Export call logs.
- Make a notarised print-out or execute a self-authenticating affidavit under Sec. 2, Rule 5, Rules on Electronic Evidence. (Using Text Message Threats as Evidence in the Philippines)
Send a demand or ‘cease-and-desist’ notice (optional but useful in civil actions).
File the criminal complaint
- Where:
• Barangay for minor unjust-vexation cases (Katarungang Pambarangay), or to request a Barangay Protection Order (BPO) against an abusive partner under R.A. 9262. (Protection Order for Domestic Harassment and Family Safety)
• PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), NBI Cybercrime Division, or the prosecutor’s office for cyber-related offenses. (PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group - Facebook) - Documents needed: Affidavit-Complaint, copies of evidence, your government ID, proof of relationship (for R.A. 9262), and filing fees (if through prosecutor).
- Where:
Seek an immediate protection order
- BPO (15 days) – issued same day by the punong barangay for R.A. 9262 cases.
- TPO (30 days) – ex parte by the Family Court within 24 hours of filing.
- PPO (permanent) – after notice and hearing. ([PDF] protection orders under republic act 9262, otherwise, G.R. No. 250219 - LawPhil)
- For gender-based harassment (R.A. 11313) the victim may obtain similar orders via first-level courts.
Ask the telco & NTC to block the number
- Present police blotter or protection order.
- Under the SIM Registration Act, telcos must disable a SIM within 24 hours of a lawful order from DICT/NTC/LEA. (Republic Act No. 11934 - Lawphil)
Civil damages
- Articles 19-21 & 26, Civil Code: sue for abuse of rights or privacy intrusion.
- Article 32: violation of constitutional privacy or free speech.
- Article 2176 (quasi-delict): moral, exemplary and actual damages.
- File with the proper RTC; no barangay conciliation if an injunction is requested.
4. Penalties & sentencing snapshot
| Offense | Imprisonment | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Unjust Vexation (Art 287 RPC, as amended) | Arresto menor (1-30 days) | ₱1,000 – ₱40,000 (Republic Act No. 10951) |
| Grave Threats (simple) | Arresto mayor (1 mo 1 day – 6 mos) | ≤ ₱100,000 (Republic Act No. 10951) |
| Psychological Violence (R.A. 9262) | Prisión mayor (6 yrs 1 day – 12 yrs) | Up to court’s discretion + mandatory counselling (G.R. No. 250219 - LawPhil) |
| Online Sexual Harassment (R.A. 11313) | Arresto menor – arresto mayor | ₱10k – ₱100k ('Safe Spaces Act' Increases Protections Against Sexual Harassment ...) |
| Cyber-stalking (R.A. 10175 + Art 287) | One degree higher than arresto menor → arresto mayor | Up to ₱100k plus restitution (Republic Act No. 10175 - LawPhil) |
Plus: Courts routinely award moral damages (₱20k – ₱100k+) in psychological violence cases, as affirmed in People v. Dinamling (2021). (G.R. No. 250219 - LawPhil)
5. Jurisprudence to know
| Case | Gist |
|---|---|
| Dinamling v. People (G.R. 250219, 2023) | Text-message threats & insults from husband constituted psychological violence under R.A. 9262. (G.R. No. 250219 - LawPhil) |
| People v. EJ Ibrahim (G.R. 241390, 2021) | Repetitive demeaning messages caused mental anguish; conviction under R.A. 9262 upheld. (G.R. No. 241390 - LawPhil) |
| AAA v. BBB (G.R. 179243, 2011) | Cell-phone harassment may fall under unjust vexation even without physical harm. (G.R. No. 179243 - Lawphil) |
| People v. Cadajas (G.R. 247348, 2021) | Court reiterated that ICT use triggers higher cyber-crime penalties. (G.R. No. 247348 - LawPhil) |
6. Administrative & sector-specific remedies
- Workplace: Employers must set up a Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) and resolve online‐harassment complaints within 10 days (R.A. 11313 §19).
- Schools: Immediate protective measures (no-contact orders, counselling) within 5 days (R.A. 11313 §22).
- Data Privacy: If harasser leaks personal data, file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission; fines up to ₱5 M and criminal liability (R.A. 10173).
- Telemarketing nuisance: NTC Memorandum Order 10-12-2014 allows a subscriber to report “persistent unwanted calls” for telco blocking.
7. Practical tips for victims
- Act quickly: early screenshots carry embedded metadata critical for authentication.
- Stay safe: block the number first; ask someone you trust to read incoming messages.
- Consult counsel: many community legal aid centers (e.g., IBP chapters, law school clinics) assist in preparing affidavits and computing damages.
- Follow up: ask the prosecutor’s office for status updates; cyber-crime dockets move faster than ordinary caseloads but still require follow-through.
- Mental-health support: barangay VAW desks keep referral lists of free counselling services mandated by R.A. 9262.
8. Outlook & policy trends
The SIM Registration Act is expected to tighten identity tracing, yet criminals still spoof or use foreign VoIP. The DICT’s 2024 roadmap proposes:
- real-time IMSI catcher alerts for telcos,
- joint NPC–NTC cyber-harassment takedown protocols, and
- an expanded definition of stalking in the pending Anti-Stalking Bill (House Bill 8486, 19th Congress).
Regular monitoring of these developments is crucial for practitioners advising victims.
Bottom line
Victims of harassing calls or texts in the Philippines have layered remedies—criminal, civil, administrative and protective—backed by a growing body of case law. Success hinges on good evidence preservation and a strategic choice of statutes: combine the faster barangay or protection-order tracks with criminal complaints for deterrence, and civil suits for compensation when the harassment causes real psychological or financial harm.