Some people still have this misplaced confidence in the deterrent effect of Batas Pambansa (BP) Blg. 22, also known as the Bouncing Checks Law (full text here). Here are some things a layman should know:
1. The issuer is not automatically liable simply because the check “bounced”. A check generally “bounces” when dishonored upon presentment (reasons include, account closed, drawn against insufficient funds or DAIF). However, it is indispensable that the issuer must be notified in WRITING about the fact of dishonor, and he has 5 days from receipt to pay the value of the check or make arrangements for the payment thereof. (Please see update on this matter at the Philippine e-Legal Forum).
2. Filing fees are generally not required for criminal cases. For B.P. 22 cases, however, the complainant is required to pay the filing fees (based on the value of the check/s and the damages claimed, just like in civil cases) upon filing of the case in court.
3. One major deterrent against bouncing checks is the threat of a warrant of arrest being issued once the criminal case is filed in court. This is no longer true. No warrant of arrest is issued unless the accused fails to appear when required by the court.
4. Even if a criminal case under B.P. 22 is filed, the court can’t issue a hold-departure order (HDO). All violations of the Bouncing Checks Law, regardless of the amount involved, are filed only with the municipal/metropolitan trial courts. These courts cannot issue an HDO.
5. Courts have the discretion of imposing: (a) imprisonment only; (b) fine only; OR (c) both. It is entirely possible that only a fine, without imprisonment, is imposed.
(See also: Basic Reminders in Preventing Check Fraud)
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by starbright
15 Jan 2009 at 22:41
Dear Atty,
What is the best thing to do, when a case filed in BB22 and with A PROMULGATION WITHOUT THE APPEARANCE OF THE ACCUSED AND WITH A BENCH WARRANT.
Is it possible that a judge will promulgate judgement even the accused is not around, and not appeared in court.
What is the best remedy, or an appeal is still possible,
It is possible that a case filed on BP 22 ten years ago could have a promulgation of both imprisonment and payment of fine and the principal amount, not either of the two punishment.
by OFW
23 Feb 2009 at 04:19
Good day atty!
I am an OFW since 2004 and have been home (vacation) in 2006 and 2008 – just recently I asked my mother to request for an NBI clearance for immigration purposes.
I was informed by my mother that I am WANTED for case filed against me in violation of BP 22 @ 2 cts. since then I really have not had much sleep and depressed about this whole situation. I do remember taking a loan for my placement fee for overseas employment.2001.
Dahil nga po sa hirap ng buhay nagdecide po ako magabroad pero hindi po para takasan ang kaso na ito. Naranasan ko din po maharass ng mga kolektor kaso po wala naman po tlga ako maibabayad ng mga panahon na un- 2002 -nagresign po ako ng trabaho pero nagiwan po ako ng forwarding address – eventually nagsara po ung opisina na iyon.
Napagalaman ko po na Feb 2003 po finile ung kaso -pero dahil po wala po ako natatanggap na sulat or notice po mula sa collector-ayaw din po ako kausapin na ng lending co dahil nasa collection agency na daw po. Sa awa po ng Diyos, nakapag abroad po ako ng 2004 – nakakuha din po ako ng NBI bilang isa sa requirement pero po wala po nailagay dun na may kaso po ako. Hnaggang sa umabot po last week ng nalaman ko po ito- Simula po ng umalis ako ng bansa -sa regular ko po na pagpapadala sa pamilya ko- kung sakali man po may naningil sa mga utang ko pwede na po ako makabayad dahil may work na po ako.
Ngayon po natatkot po ako ksi – hindi ko po alam ang gagawin ko- willing naman po makipagayos ako sa pamamagitan po ng mother ko ara po maayos po ito.
Ang tanong ko po..pwede po ba na mother ko -kc po OFW po ak onasa labas po ako ng bansa- ska isa pa po natatakot po ako na makulong kasi po pag nagkaganun kawawa nman po pamilya ko-mababaon na naman po kami sa utang.
willing po ako makipagayos- in good faith ko po na aayusin ang kaso ko po–kaso po sa ngayon takot po ako.
salamat po.
by Grace
27 Feb 2009 at 18:20
Good Day atty,
Is a scanned copy of a bounced checked sufficient as an evidence?
by leah
10 Apr 2009 at 09:26
hello attorney
goodmorning po sana po matulungan nu ako sa isyu ng bounce check. kasi po last last mnth nagloan po ako sa isang tao na private lending lang sya at ang taas tass po ng patong kaso nataon pong gipit ako noon kaya sinuob ko yung loan na yung, nagloan po ako ng 40kphp ke ms.ria, ang nakuha ko lng po is 32thousang lng po kasi po me bawas na agad na interes ng 8kphp, ganyan po ang tubo nya at patong, gipit po ako noon, pinagisyu nya po ako at ng agente ng checke,, alam ko pong wala fund kaso kelangan lng me maiwan na para magtiwala lng na babayran ko yung utang ko, then nitong march 13 po nakadate yung checke,ngayun po yung agente nagalit po sakin at dahil sa hindi namin pagkakaunawaan, ang ginwa nya po ,hinharas po kami sa txt at sa phone, nung agente at nananakot na idedeposit na nya yung checke kapag hindi ako nakabayad ng araw ng march 12, dahil kelangan na nila yung pera, ang problema mo atty, wala pa po akong sapat na pambayad, kaya nakiusap po ako kahit na alam kong malaki na naman ang patong nila na bgyan nila ako ng palugit na isang buwan pa,nagbgay po ulit ako ng checke sa kanila bagong date ,ngayun po another interest na 8thousang po ang hinigi at renew daw ng contract sa isang notary public, atty. willing naman po akong makabayad kaso pano ako makakabayad kung patuloy nilang papatungan ng malaki ang utang ko at ang taas ng patong, parang lumalabas interes pa lng ang binabyaran ko…pano po ba to.. ngayun april 13 due date na nung check natatakot po ako na baka harasin na naman nila akong idedepo yung check kapag hindi ko na nabayaran yung 40kphp na utang ko, ang problema ko po, 10k lngang naiipun ko pa sa ngayun dahil sa hirap po ng buhay wala pa akong maibayad.parang nararamdaman ko po kasing lam n alam nilang wala akong laban dahil hawak nila ang checke ko kaya nananakot na ipapapulis daw ako kahit naman nakikipagusap ho ako ng maayus sa kanila..atty, hindi naman po ako tumatakot, actually nagsasabi naman ako ng totoo sa knila na tlaga gipit ako now at willing akong makabayad ng utang kaso ang problema ang taas ng patong nya sa utang kong 40kphp naging 8kphp monthly ang patong ano po bng magandang gawin ko dito kapag ganyan ulit ang nangyari
by dxbdebt
13 May 2009 at 17:52
i have a question regarding credit card debt.. i used to work in dubai and i have some credit card debt and issued cheques when i took the loan there. Now the credit card company and collection agent is threatening me that they will file a case and send me to jail if i don’t pay them. I am willing to pay them but I can’t afford to pay the whole amount. I do’t want to give them my contact info and where I work now here in the phils. because i know they will harass me. What should I do because they are calling my family members all the time. Please give me some answers and advise. Thanks!
by carlo
28 May 2009 at 14:00
a Criminal case of Estafa and Viol. of BP 22 is filed before the Prosecutor’s office, without alleging the civil aspect e.g. damages. Would this ommission deter the complainant from claiming damages?
by Jig Serbia
12 Jun 2009 at 18:20
Dear atty.,
I have a personal loan with banco de oro P100,000. After paying it for 18 months ( 24 months ko dapat bayaran) I defaulted Aug 2007 due to financial problem. January 2009 I received a summon for sum of money worth P102t from Makati MTC na hindi ko sinagot and several other notices na hindi ko inattendan.
Just this wed, june 10, I received the court decision ordering me to pay 102t plus 8t attorney’s fee. Mabait naman palagi ang diyos, I now have some resources to pay. i don’t know personally any attorney so I don’t know what I should do next. Here are my questions:
1. What will happen next? Sheriff ba agad? Ayoko naman ma sheriff pa ako.
2. Shall I contact the attorney or the bank?? What will I do?
3. Puede ko pa bang i-installment yung payment?
Kindly enlighten me on the legal processes after the decision. Thanks a lot.
Jig
by exrxnxsxtx
16 Jul 2009 at 09:43
nareceive ko na po ang resolution mula sa asst. city prosecutor, nakasaad po doon na ” Premises Considered, it is recommended that responded be charged with nine (9) counts of violation of BP22.”
pwede na po ba mapa-aresto yung respondent o kelangan ko po muna bayaran yung filing fees pursuant to SC at magharap kami sa korte? o paano po ba? siya nga po pala hindi po niya ako sinipot sa lahat ng preliminary investigation.
thanks in advance po sa reply nyo.
by desperado
29 Jul 2009 at 14:10
dear atty,
i was informed that i have two arrest warrants on a b.p. 22 estafa case which was filed when i was already out of the country. i want to go home and make arrangements to pay for what i owe. how can i prevent myself from getting arrested on my return? how can i cancel a warrant of arrest? can i hire a lawyer to negotiate payments for me while i’m still abroad? i hope you don’t only answer all my questions but add more information relevant to my case. thank you so much in advance.
by exrxnxsxtx
31 Jul 2009 at 19:54
Atty.,
tama po ba na dapat “personally received” ang final demand letter na pirmado ng lawyer otherwise, madi-dismiss po ang case na 9 counts of violation of BP 22 sa korte? sa case ko po kasi wife po ang nagsign sa demand letter na sinerve ko po personally dahil yung ni registered mail ko po ay di nila inaccept at bumalik lang. pero po nung sinerve ko po yung demane letter ay nakita ko po yung lalaking asawa kaso po ay hindi na po kasi ako hinarap kaya yung babae po ang nag-sign. madi-dismiss lang po ba sa korte ang kaso?
pls enlighten me. thanks!
by mamu
05 Aug 2009 at 16:09
I would like to file a BP22 case against this public official. I brought her a letter notice with demand to pay with a photocopy of the check after 2 days I received the returned check from my bank. I came to her face to face. She accepted the letter I gave but would not want to acknowledge receipt whatever I do. Does this already constitute receipt? I was with a friend that time who witnessed that she received the letter and heard what we discussed.Will my friend’s testimony become sufficient evidence as to receipt? Pls. advise. Thanks.
by marc
01 Sep 2009 at 12:10
Atty., gusto ko lang din pong malaman na obligado po ba akong magbayad ng interest na sobra pa po sa inutang ko. meron po akong loan na 20k sa isang lending at nakapagbayad na po ako ng mahigit sa kalahati at natira nalang po ay 6k pero nais nilang bayaran ko at 23k dahil nagbayad daw po sila ng attys. fee.at interest na 4% per month. di po ako pumayag pero mapilit sila at ipapakulong na lang daw po nila ako. salamat
Hot debate. What do you think?
-1
by Rose
23 Sep 2009 at 09:27
Dear Atty.
A blessed day po! Just would like to request to please publish po all your answers from the above questions. Almost all my questions ay ganoon din po kasi.
Thank so much!
by benjie
30 Sep 2009 at 11:29
gud day atty.
i have a loan amounting to P700,000. I issued a check as payment of the loan. however, the check bounce because my business suffered a slowdown that i cannot pay all my obligations as of the moment. they file a BP22 case against me…I pay 20,000pesos as partial payment…can i use it as my defense since i am very willing to pay for it. can i be convicted for bp22?
Hot debate. What do you think?
+2
by leo
29 Oct 2009 at 02:30
Hi Atty,
Can I still charged a person with bp 22 even if shes abroad already?
by Poor Girl
29 Oct 2009 at 14:08
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by Khats
28 Dec 2009 at 09:51
Hello Atty,
Ask ko lang po…. kung ano po ang dapat naming gawin… willing naman po kaming magbayad…. pero sa ngayon po kasi wala po kaming parehong trabaho…. and hindi po maganda ang takbo ng small business namin…. kahit nga po pambayad sa atty wala po kami… please po bigyan nyo po ako ng magandang advice…… maraming salamat po and god bless……
by gwen_26
06 Jan 2010 at 18:19
gud day atty!!! my 2 checks po ako n nagbounced. un po ung binayad ko
by gwen_26
06 Jan 2010 at 18:24
gud day atty!!! my nag bounced po kmi n checks n inissue namin s hardware. ble worth 3oot po ung dalawang cheke. pero late last year pero mga last week of may upt to present d n kmi nakakabgiay ng payment kc po nawaln ng trabaho ung husband ko but we do have a small bussiness pero it’s only enough for daily needs. he was threatening my husband n ifile n lang daw po nya ung case s court. wla po b kming laban even if we have receipts n nagbabayd naman kmi khit pakonti konti like we gave 10t, 5t, we even gave 5ot if we have para lang mbayaran nmin pakonti konti. as of now wla po tlga kming pera pra mbayaran ng bglaan. gusto nila magbayd ng 60t this month and 40t next month. pls atty, i really need some advice. thank you very much
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+5
by ysabelle@3
09 Jan 2010 at 15:39
gd pm po atty,
we owed several loans from different banks, and due to financial crisis, we were not able to pay them and nagclose na po ung checking account namin, please help us on what to do
by Rene
03 Feb 2010 at 12:46
Hi! I just want to know if a check that was deposited and bounced five years ago can still be filed in court today for BP 22? Thanks in advance
by air
07 Mar 2010 at 14:22
gud day po. ask ko lng po. actually almost 20 years ago po nag karoon ng utang ang nanay ko ng 3 times sa isang tao hanggang umabot ng 50thou. kaya lng dhil sa financial crisis nkiusap sya sa pnagkautangan nya na ung daily boundary ng jeep nmin na P450 ang ibabyad sa knila hanggang sa mabayaran ang utang pero hindi pumayag ung tao. basta in short bale 4 ammicable settlements ang nangyari kaya lng ayaw pumayag nung pnagkautangan dahil kung di daw buo ung ibayad ng nanay ko ipapakulong daw siya. ung ikaapat po ay nagkaroon ng agreement na kapalit ng bahay namin as kabayaran dun sa utang ay ibabalik ung mga bouncing checks na na issue ng nanay ko but nung nakapirma na si nanay ayaw ng ibigay ung cheke at un ang ipinang demanda nila sa nanay ko. in short po nakulong ang nanay ko ng ilang buwan. mkalipas ang ilang taon sisingil na namn po nila ang nanay ko na bayaran pa rin daw ung 50thou kahit na nakulong na kahit ayaw po ng nanay ko para wala nalang gulo ay binayaran nlang po niya. tnong ko po dapat pa po ba talagang bayaran un kahit na nkulong na ang nanay ko? salamat po.