Have you ever encountered a person who demands you to give up money or other property by intimidation, threat of violence or damage to your reputation? Extortion involves force and even if the victim has given his or her consent, that consent has been obtained illegally. Extortion comes is many forms. A classic example would be the protection scheme. This involves demanding store owners to pay a certain amount for protection to prevent the extortionist from creating any damage to the store owner's property.
The laglag bala scheme is also an example of extortion. Some people who were caught carrying bullets were asked to pay the airport authorities in exchange of their freedom. Some laglag bala victims chose to pay to spare themselves from the long investigation process. In extortion, there is a threat of violence involved and it leaves victims with no other choice but to comply to avoid any inconvenience and disturbance.
Section 9. Article 294 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Art. 294. Robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons
Penalties. Any person guilty of robbery with the use of violence against or intimidation of any person shall suffer:
1. The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death, when by reason or on occasion of the robbery, the crime of homicide shall have been committed, or when the robbery shall have been accompanied by rape or intentional mutilation or arson.
2. The penalty of reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua, when or if by reason or on occasion of such robbery, any of the physical injuries penalized in subdivision I of Article 263 shall have been inflicted.
3. The penalty of reclusion temporal, when by reason or on occasion of the robbery, any of the physical injuries penalized in subdivision 2 of the article mentioned in the next preceding paragraph, shall have been inflicted.
4. The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period to reclusion temporal in its medium period, if the violence or intimidation employed in the commission of the robbery shall have been carried to a degree clearly unnecessary for the commission of the crime, or when in the course of its execution, the offender shall have inflicted upon any person not responsible for its commission any of the physical injuries covered by subdivisions 3 and 4 of said Article 263.
5. The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period to prision mayor in its medium period in other cases.
Anyone can be a victim of extortion and if you feel that your rights have been violated, you need to seek help from an attorney.
