Services rendered under compulsion in payment of a debt, A274 Revised Penal Code

1. Concept

Services rendered under compulsion in payment of debt – refers to the crime of compelling the debtor to work for the offender, against the debtor’s will, as household servant or farm laborer, in order to require or enforce the payment of a debt.

a. Legal basis

Article 274. Services rendered under compulsion in payment of debt. - The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person who, in order to require or enforce the payment of a debt, shall compel the debtor to work for him, against his will, as household servant or farm laborer.

(Revised Penal Code)

2. Modes of commission

The following are the modes of committing the offense:

1) By compelling the debtor to work for the offender, against the debtor’s will, as household servant or farm laborer, in order to require or enforce the payment of a debt

a. Mode 1: Compulsion to pay debt

Elements of the crime of services rendered under compulsion in payment of debt:

1) The offender compels the debtor to work for the offender, against debtor’s will;

2) That the debtor’s work is that of a household servant or farm laborer; and

3) It is in order to require or enforce the payment of a debt. (REVISED PENAL CODE, Article 274)

Element 1: Compulsion to work

For the 1st element, the offender compels the debtor to work for the offender, against the debtor’s will.

Forcing another to work against their will is ...