1) What counts as “threats” and “harassment” in Philippine practice

People often use “harassment” as a broad term. In law enforcement and prosecution, the incident is usually matched to specific offenses (and sometimes to special laws) depending on the facts, relationship of the parties, and how the act was done (in person vs. online).

Common criminal angles (non-exhaustive)

A. Threats (Revised Penal Code)

Grave threats: threatening another with a wrong amounting to a crime (e.g., “I will kill you,” “I’ll burn your house,” “I’ll hurt your child”), especially when the threat is serious, conditional, or connected to extortion-like demands.
Light threats: threats that do not amount to a grave threat, often less severe or involving lesser harm.
Other related acts: depending on words and context, threats can also connect to coercion, extortion, or other crimes.

B. Harassment-type conduct (often charged under the Revised Penal Code)

Unjust vexation (commonly used in practice for persistent annoyance/torment that does not neatly fall under another specific crime).
Alarm and scandal / disturbance-type offenses where conduct causes public disturbance (fact-dependent).
Slander (oral defamation) / libel if the harassment includes defamatory statements damaging reputation.

C. If it happens online (special rules may apply)

Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175) can cover certain acts committed through information and communications technologies. A common example is online libel (cyber libel); other cyber-related offenses may apply depending on what was done (e.g., illegal access, identity-related abuse), but the exact fit depends on facts.
For intimate image abuse, Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act (RA 9995) may apply when private sexual content is recorded/shared without consent.

D. If the offender is a spouse/intimate partner or someone you have/had a dating/sexual relationship with

Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (RA 9262) is often central. “Violence” includes not only physical harm but also psychological violence—which can include threats, stalking-like behavior, persistent harassment, humiliation, and other controlling conduct. This law also provides protection orders (see Section 7).

E. If it happens in public spaces, workplaces, schools, or online spaces (sexual in nature)

Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313) can apply to gender-based sexual harassment in streets/public spaces, workplaces, schools, and online—depending on the act.

F. If minors are involved

If the victim is a child, additional protections and offenses may apply (including child abuse-related laws, depending on conduct). Reporting pathways often involve the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) and social welfare units.

Why classification matters: it affects (1) where you report, (2) what evidence is needed, (3) whether barangay conciliation applies, and (4) whether you can obtain protection orders quickly.

2) Decide where to report: barangay, police, NBI, prosecutor (or more than one)

You can pursue multiple tracks, but it helps to pick the right starting point.

A. Police station (PNP)

Best for:

Immediate threats, ongoing harassment, stalking-like behavior, intimidation, physical approach, doxxing with credible danger, or any risk of violence.
When you want the incident entered in the police blotter, you want an officer to document, respond, investigate, or make an arrest (if lawful grounds exist).

Where in the station:

Investigation section/duty investigator
Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) if you are a woman, a child, or the case involves domestic/intimate relationship violence or child-related concerns.

B. NBI (especially for online/cyber or identity-linked harassment)

Best for:

Persistent online harassment where you need help identifying a person behind accounts, device traces, or coordinated abuse.
Cases where evidence is mostly digital and you want an agency used to cyber forensics.

C. PNP Anti-Cybercrime units (for online harassment)

Best for:

Online threats, cyber libel, impersonation, account compromise, and other tech-facilitated abuse where law enforcement assistance is needed.

D. Office of the City/Provincial Prosecutor

Best for:

When you already have evidence and want to file a criminal complaint directly (through an affidavit-complaint), especially if the police blotter is already done or the facts are clear.
Many criminal cases ultimately require a prosecutor to find probable cause before court filing (subject to exceptions like certain inquest situations).

E. Barangay (blotter/mediation)

Best for:

Neighborhood disputes, lower-level harassment where safety risk is low, and documentation/initial intervention may help.
Important limits: Barangay conciliation does not apply to many situations (commonly including cases involving urgent legal action, many serious crimes, and often VAWC-related matters). Also, when online/cyber elements or serious threats exist, going straight to the police/prosecutor is typically more appropriate.

3) Safety first: when to treat it as an emergency

Treat it as urgent if:

There is a credible threat of physical harm (specific plan, time, weapon, past violence, proximity).
The person is outside your home/work/school, following you, or has tried to force contact.
The harassment escalates (more frequent, more explicit, more personal information leaked).
Children are targeted.

In these cases:

Prioritize immediate safety (safe location, trusted person, security).
Report immediately to the nearest police station or emergency hotline if available in your area.

4) Evidence: what to collect (and how to preserve it)

Good documentation often determines whether the case moves forward.

A. For text/online threats and harassment

Collect:

Screenshots showing the full conversation/thread, including dates/times, usernames, profile URLs, group/page names.
Screen recordings (scrolling the full conversation) to show context and continuity.
Links/URLs to posts, comments, profiles, and any shared files.
Metadata when available (message info, account handle, page ID).
A timeline of incidents: date, time, platform, what happened, witnesses.

Preserve:

Keep original files (don’t edit/crop your only copy).
Back up to a separate device/cloud.
If content may be deleted, save promptly and record the URL and time accessed.

B. For in-person harassment/threats

Collect:

Photos/videos (if safe to do so).
CCTV requests: ask the establishment/building admin to preserve copies (CCTV often overwrites quickly).
Witness statements: names, contact details, short written account.
Medical records if there was any physical harm or stress-related medical consultation.

C. Audio recordings and privacy laws (important)

The Philippines has strict rules against recording private communications without consent in many situations. If you have recordings, do not assume they are automatically admissible or lawful. Still, preserve them and consult how they can be used—sometimes they help investigative leads even if evidentiary use is limited.

D. Organize your evidence pack

Bring:

A printed timeline
Printed screenshots and a USB/phone copy
IDs and proof of address (helpful for jurisdiction)
Any prior blotter entries, incident reports, medical certificates

5) Where to file (jurisdiction and venue)

You generally report where:

The incident happened (place of threat/harassment), or
You/your workplace/school is located (especially if the harassment occurs there), and for online cases,
Where the harmful content was posted/viewed and where you are located can become relevant (fact-specific).

If unsure:

Start at the nearest police station for documentation and referral.
For online cases, cybercrime units can guide on the best venue.

6) Step-by-step: filing a police report (PNP)

Step 1: Go to the police station and ask to make a report

Say you want to:

Record the incident in the police blotter, and
File a complaint for threats and harassment (describe briefly), and
If applicable, request referral to the WCPD (women/children/VAWC) or to a cybercrime desk/unit.

Step 2: Give a clear narrative (stick to facts)

You’ll be asked:

Who: identity of the suspect (or what you know—name/alias, account links, phone number, plate number)
What: exact words/actions (quote threats as accurately as possible)
When/where: date/time/location/platform
How: method used (calls/messages/in-person)
Witnesses: names/contacts
Prior incidents: history/pattern, prior reports

Step 3: Provide your evidence

Hand over copies and show originals on your device.

Ask the officer to note in the report that you provided screenshots, URLs, recordings, etc.
If there are witnesses, ask how they can execute affidavits.

Step 4: Get the blotter entry details

Before you leave, request:

Blotter entry number / reference number
Name/contact of the handling investigator
Next steps and where to follow up

A blotter entry is not the same as a filed court case, but it is often a crucial documented starting point.

Step 5: Execute a sworn statement / affidavit (when needed)

For many cases that proceed, you will be asked to execute a sworn statement or affidavit-complaint describing the facts under oath.

Common practice:

Police may assist in drafting a sworn statement and refer the matter to the prosecutor.
Alternatively, you may prepare an affidavit-complaint for filing with the prosecutor directly.

Step 6: Investigation and case build-up

Depending on the case:

The police may conduct interviews, call the respondent for questioning, attempt identification, coordinate with cyber units, and prepare a referral for the prosecutor.

Step 7: Referral to the prosecutor (for filing in court)

Most criminal complaints require the prosecutor to determine probable cause before the case is filed in court (subject to special situations like lawful warrantless arrests/inquest).

7) Fast protective remedies (especially for domestic/intimate partner cases)

If the offender is a spouse/ex-partner, dating partner, or someone you have a qualifying relationship with, RA 9262 can provide urgent relief through protection orders. Common forms include:

Barangay Protection Order (BPO) (typically for immediate short-term protection through the barangay)
Temporary Protection Order (TPO) and Permanent Protection Order (PPO) through the courts

Protection orders can include directives such as:

No-contact / stay-away orders
Removal from the home in appropriate cases
Prohibiting harassment, threats, stalking-like conduct
Other safety-related conditions

Even when you pursue a protection order, you can still file criminal complaints based on the same acts.

For sexual harassment in covered settings, administrative and disciplinary processes may also run alongside criminal remedies (e.g., workplace/school procedures under the Safe Spaces framework), depending on facts.

8) Barangay route: when it helps and when it doesn’t

Useful:

Documenting neighborhood harassment
Getting immediate barangay intervention (warnings, community-level measures)
Creating a paper trail that supports later police/prosecutor action

Not ideal (and often not applicable) when:

There are serious threats of violence
There’s a domestic/intimate partner violence context (commonly handled without barangay conciliation requirements)
Cybercrime elements require specialized handling
You need urgent legal action beyond mediation

Even when barangay conciliation is attempted in some disputes, you can still proceed to police/prosecutor when the matter falls outside barangay authority or exceptions apply.

9) Filing directly with the prosecutor: affidavit-complaint basics

If you choose to file with the prosecutor (with or without police assistance), you typically submit:

Affidavit-Complaint
- Your details and the respondent’s details (or identifiers)
- A chronological narrative of incidents
- Specific statements constituting threats/harassment (quoted as accurately as possible)
- Harm caused (fear, disruption, reputational damage, emotional distress, safety risk)
Supporting affidavits
- Witness affidavits, if any
Attachments
- Screenshots/printouts/links
- Photos/videos
- Medical records
- Prior blotter entries
Verification
- Signed under oath (often notarized or sworn before an authorized officer)

The prosecutor may then issue processes requiring the respondent to answer and will determine whether to file the case in court.

10) Online harassment specifics: practical pointers

A. Identification challenges

If the harasser uses fake accounts, you often need:

Consistent preservation of links and timestamps
Platform records (which usually require lawful process)
Assistance from cybercrime units for technical steps

B. Don’t “clean up” your evidence

Avoid:

Editing screenshots without keeping originals
Deleting conversations (archive instead if needed)
Engaging in back-and-forth that muddies the record

C. Report to the platform, but don’t rely on it alone

Platform reports can remove content but do not replace:

police blotter documentation
sworn statements
prosecutorial action where warranted

11) What to expect after filing

Possible outcomes

Documentation only (blotter entry) if evidence is insufficient or you choose not to pursue further
Police investigation and referral for prosecution
Case filing in court after probable cause determination
Protection order proceedings (where applicable)
Administrative remedies (workplace/school/public setting harassment processes)

Timelines

Processes vary widely depending on:

clarity and completeness of evidence
respondent identification
workload of the station/prosecutor
whether the case is urgent or involves arrest/inquest situations

12) Common mistakes that weaken cases

Reporting verbally but leaving without a blotter entry number
Not preserving full context (only a cropped threat without prior messages showing identity/pattern)
Waiting too long so CCTV or online content disappears
Mixing facts with insults/speculation in sworn statements (stick to verifiable details)
Failing to list witnesses or failing to obtain their contact details
Assuming an online account is the person without additional identifiers (still report, but document why you believe it’s them)

13) Quick checklist: what to bring when you report

Government ID
Written timeline of incidents (dates/times/places/platforms)
Printed screenshots + digital copies (phone/USB)
Links/URLs and account identifiers
Witness names and contact info
Any prior barangay/police blotter references
Medical documents (if any)
Address details for jurisdiction (where incidents occurred; where you live/work/school)

14) A simple template for your incident timeline (useful for blotter and affidavit)

Incident #:
Date/Time:
Where/Platform:
What happened (exact words/actions; quote threats):
Who did it (name/alias/account link/phone):
Witnesses:
Evidence (screenshot file name, URL, photo/video, CCTV location):
Impact (fear, disruption, missed work/school, safety actions taken):
Action taken (blocked account, reported to platform, told security, prior blotter):

15) Key takeaway

Filing a police report for threats and harassment in the Philippines is most effective when you (1) choose the correct reporting channel (police/WCPD/cyber/NBI/prosecutor), (2) preserve evidence in a clean and complete way, and (3) document the pattern and impact through blotter entries and sworn statements—while pursuing fast protective remedies (notably protection orders) when relationship context or safety risk warrants it.