Revealing secrets with abuse of office, A291 Revised Penal Code

1. Concept Revealing secrets with abuse of office – under the Revised Penal Code refers to the crime of revealing secrets of a principal or master by their manager, employee, or servant. a. Legal basis Art. 291. Revealing secrets with abuse of office. - The penalty of arresto mayor and a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) shall be imposed upon any manager, employee or servant who, in such capacity, shall learn the secrets of his principal or master and shall reveal such secrets. (As amended by R.A. 10951) (Revised Penal Code) b. Purpose [T]he Revised Penal Code endows a cloak of protection to trade secrets under [Article 291 and 292]. (Air Philippines Corporation v. Pennswell, Inc., G.R. No. 172835, December 13 2007, Per Chico-Nazario, J.) [I]n accordance with our statutory laws, this Court has declared that intellectual and industrial property rights cases are not simple property cases. Without limiting such industrial property rights to trademarks and trade names, this Court has ruled that all agreements concerning intellectual property are intimately connected with economic development. The protection of industrial property encourages investments in new ideas and inventions and stimulates creative efforts for the satisfaction of human needs. It speeds up transfer of technology and industrialization, and thereby bring about social and economic progress. Verily, the protection of industrial secrets is inextricably linked to the advancement of our econom...