MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has clarified that the proper term for the crime under Article 266-A(1)(a) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) is rape, not simple rape.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, the SC’s Third Division affirmed the conviction of a man found guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl and sentenced him to a maximum of 40 years in prison.

The accused was earlier convicted by the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals of simple rape. Under Article 266-A(1)(a) of the RPC, rape is committed when a man has sexual intercourse with a woman through force, threat, or intimidation.

While affirming the conviction, the SC took the opportunity to clarify the proper terminology for the crime.

“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,” the Court said.

The SC explained that rape was originally classified as a crime against chastity under Article 335 of the RPC, but Republic Act No. 8353, or the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, reclassified it as a crime against persons.

Crimes against chastity, such as adultery and seduction, are generally considered private crimes that focus on protecting a victim’s honor, while crimes against persons, including homicide, murder, and physical injuries, aim to protect bodily integrity and well-being.

The Court ruled that reclassifying rape as a crime against persons underscores its seriousness and the psychological and physical harm it causes victims, stressing that rape must “never be trivialized as ‘simple,’” particularly in court decisions.