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December 19, 2025 | 12:54pm
The Supreme Court ruled that the crime must be referred to as “rape,” rejecting the term “simple rape” as improper.
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MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ruled that the proper legal term for the crime of rape is simply “rape,” clarifying that the phrase “simple rape” is incorrect and inappropriate.
In a 14-page decision promulgated on July 9, 2025, the high court’s Third Division said crimes defined and penalized under Article 266-A(1)(a) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) should be referred to as “rape,” without qualifiers.
“The Court takes this opportunity to clarify that the proper nomenclature for crimes defined and penalized under Article 266-A of the RPC is Rape and not ‘Simple Rape,’” the ruling read.
“After all, there is nothing ‘simple’ about Rape and referring to it in such a manner downplays its severity and desensitizes the public to the harm it inflicts,” it added.
Ruling stems from conviction review
The clarification arose as the Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of a man for the rape of a 13-year-old girl.
While both the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals had found the accused guilty of what they termed “simple rape,” the high court flagged the terminology as both linguistically and morally flawed.
The high court traced the evolution of rape in Philippine law, noting that under Article 335 of the old Revised Penal Code, rape was previously classified as a crime against chastity, alongside offenses such as adultery and seduction.
These offenses were historically viewed as violations of a woman’s “honor” or a family’s reputation.
This changed with the passage of Republic Act 8353, or the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, which reclassified rape as a crime against persons.
Serious harm underscored
By placing rape in the same legal category as homicide and murder, the law recognizes it as a grave violation of a person’s bodily integrity and well-being, the court said.
“This legislative reclassification affirms that Rape is a serious crime that directly inflicts harm and trauma — both physical and psychological — upon the victim,” the ruling read.
“Viewed in this context, rape must never be trivialized as ‘simple,’ least of all in the official nomenclature adopted in judicial decisions,” it added.
