Section 12August 26, 1977, Sec./Art. 12

Penalties.

(a) ADMINISTRATIVE FINE Any person who violates any provision of the Fire Code or any of the rules and regulations promulgated under Section 6 hereof shall be penalized by an administrative fine of not exceeding twelve thousand (P12,000.00) pesos or in the proper case, by stoppage of operations or by closure of such buildings, structures and their premises or facilities which do not comply with the requirements or by both such administrative fine and closure/stoppage of operation to be imposed by the Director General, Provided, That the payment of the fine, stoppage of operations and/or closure of such buildings, structures, and their premises or facilities shall not absolve the violator from correcting the deficiency or abating the fire hazard.

The decision of the Director General, under this subsection, may be appealed to the Secretary of National Defense, within fifteen (15) days from the date of receipt of the order imposing the administrative fine, stopping the operations and/or closure. The decision of the Secretary of National Defense shall be final and executory.

(b) PUNITIVE In case of willful failure to correct the deficiency or abate the fire hazard as provided in the preceding subsection, the violator shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months nor more than six (6) years, or by a fine of not more than twenty thousand (P20,000.00) pesos or both such fine and imprisonment; Provided, however, that in case of a corporation, firm, partnership or association, the fine and/or imprisonment shall be imposed upon its officials responsible for such violation, and in case the guilty party is an alien, in addition to the penalties herein prescribed, he shall immediately be deported; Provided, finally, that were the violation is attended by loss of life and/or damage to property, the violator shall be proceeded against under the applicable provisions of the Revised Penal Code.