Filipinos were amazed when someone painted the P10 coin with figures of Batman and Robin over Apolinario Mabini and Andres Bonifacio’s faces but the act is illegal under Presidential Decree 247.
The picture of the defaced coin was uploaded on a popular discussion forum, where users generally lauded how the comic book characters were meticulously painted over the Filipino heroes’ faces.
However, there were those who noted that defacing coins and banknotes is not allowed under Philippine law.
“Wait. This is illegal. insert meme here,” user siliconcortex wrote.
“afaik, bawal yan,” user Truman_Jack_ said.
Philippine banknotes and coins are not supposed to be defaced, mutilated, torn, burnt or destroyed, according to Presidential Decree 247.
The decree, signed by the late President Ferdinand Marcos on July 1973, prohibits anyone “to willfully deface, mutilate, tear, burn or destroy, in any manner whatsoever” the banknotes and coins produced by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Violators will be subjected to a fine of not more than P20,000 and/or be sentenced to jail for not more than five years.
Banknotes and coins subjected to such actions would be deemed “unfit for circulation.”
The decree additionally states that such actions unfavorably reflect on the discipline of Filipinos and create a negative image of the country.
