Blackmail (commonly called “extortion” or “sextortion” when sexual in nature) is a serious crime in the Philippines. It involves threatening to reveal embarrassing, damaging, or private information (photos, videos, secrets, alleged crimes, or any matter that can injure reputation, honor, or finances) unless the victim pays money or complies with other demands.

Paying the blackmailer almost never ends the problem — it usually escalates it. The law is strongly on the side of the victim, and the Philippines has multiple overlapping criminal laws that can be used against the perpetrator. Below is a comprehensive guide to every available legal remedy under Philippine law as of November 2025.

1. Criminal Laws That Apply to Blackmail

A. Revised Penal Code (Act No. 3815, as amended)

Article 282 – Grave Threats
Penalty: Prisión correccional (6 months and 1 day to 6 years) up to prisión mayor (6 years and 1 day to 12 years) depending on the nature of the threat and whether the purpose was attained.
Applies when the threat is to commit a crime against the victim or their family (e.g., “I will kill you,” “I will burn your house,” “I will file a false estafa case against you”) and is accompanied by a demand for money or other condition.

Article 283 – Light Threats
Penalty: Arresto mayor (1 month and 1 day to 6 months).
The classic “blackmail” article. Applies when the threat is NOT to commit a crime but to inflict a wrong on the person, honor, or property (e.g., “I will post your nudes,” “I will tell your wife about your affair,” “I will expose your business tax evasion”) with demand for money or any other condition, even if the condition is lawful.

Article 286 – Grave Coercion
Penalty: Prisión correccional to prisión mayor (6 months to 12 years).
When violence or intimidation is used to compel the victim to do something against their will (e.g., forcing the victim to transfer money via GCash under threat).

Article 287 – Light Coercion / Unjust Vexation
Penalty: Arresto menor (1 to 30 days) or fine.
Often used as a catch-all when the intimidation is mild but still causes alarm, annoyance, or irritation.

B. Republic Act No. 10175 – Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012

Section 6 of RA 10175 provides that ALL crimes in the Revised Penal Code and special laws committed “by, through, or with the use of ICT” (computers, phones, internet) shall have their penalties increased by one degree.

This means:

Grave Threats committed online → penalty becomes reclusion temporal (12 years and 1 day to 20 years)
Light Threats online → penalty becomes prisión correccional (6 months to 6 years)

Additionally, the following cybercrime offenses may be charged together:

Section 4(a)(1) Illegal Access (hacking accounts to obtain material)
Section 4(b)(3) Data Interference
Section 4(c)(1) Computer-related Forgery
Section 4(c)(2) Computer-related Fraud
Section 4(c)(3) Computer-related Identity Theft

Online libel (threatening to post false defamatory statements) is also punishable under Section 4(c)(4).

C. Republic Act No. 9995 – Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009

This is the single most powerful law against sextortion.

Section 4 prohibits: (a) Taking photo/video of sexual act or private parts without consent
(b) Copying or reproducing such material
(c) Selling or distributing it
(d) Publishing or broadcasting it, including causing its publication or broadcast
(e) Threatening to publish or broadcast it (this is the blackmail clause)

Penalty: Prisión mayor (6 years and 1 day to 12 years) + fine of ₱100,000 to ₱500,000 for the first offense; higher for subsequent offenses.

This law is almost always used in sextortion cases involving intimate photos or videos, even if the material was originally shared consensually.

D. Republic Act No. 9262 – Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (if victim is female or child)

Blackmail, especially sextortion, committed by a current or former boyfriend/husband/partner is considered “psychological violence” and/or “economic abuse” under Section 5(i).

Penalties: Prisión mayor (6–12 years) + mandatory psychological counseling for the perpetrator.

The victim can immediately obtain a Barangay Protection Order (BPO), Temporary Protection Order (TPO), or Permanent Protection Order (PPO) that can include:

Prohibition from contacting the victim
Removal of the perpetrator from the residence
₱300,000+ in damages

E. Republic Act No. 11313 – Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos Law)

Covers gender-based sexual harassment in streets, public spaces, workplaces, educational institutions, and online.

Threatening to release intimate images or making sexual demands online constitutes “online sexual harassment” punishable by arresto mayor to prisión correccional (1 month to 6 years) and fines up to ₱300,000.

F. Republic Act No. 11930 – Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (Anti-OSAEC) Act of 2022 (if victim is under 18)

Extremely severe penalties (reclusion perpetua and fines up to ₱2 million) for grooming, sextortion, or production/distribution of CSAEM involving minors.

2. Where and How to File the Complaint

Immediate Actions for the Victim

DO NOT PAY or delete anything.
Preserve all evidence:
- Screenshots with time/date visible
- Full conversation threads (do not crop)
- Call recordings (legal in the Philippines if you are a party to the conversation)
- Bank transfer receipts if any payment was made
- URLs, usernames, profile photos of the perpetrator
Block the blackmailer on all platforms.
Change all passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
Inform a trusted person (family, lawyer, or counselor).

Filing Options

A. Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG)
Best for online blackmail.
Hotline: 723-0401 loc. 7491 / 0917-708-0309
Online reporting: https://cybercrime.pnp.gov.ph
You can walk in at Camp Crame or any PNP-ACG regional office.

B. National Bureau of Investigation – Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD)
Excellent for technical investigation and preservation of digital evidence.
Hotline: 8523-8231 loc. 3401 / 0917-779-1966
Online referral: https://nbi.gov.ph/online-services/

C. Local Police Station
For non-cyber or mixed cases. File a blotter first, then a formal complaint-affidavit.

D. City/Provincial Prosecutor’s Office
After police investigation, the case goes here for inquest (if perpetrator is arrested) or preliminary investigation.

E. Barangay (for RA 9262 cases)
Mandatory first step for VAWC; you can get a Barangay Protection Order within hours.

F. Department of Justice – Office of Cybercrime
Handles complex or high-profile cases and can issue preservation orders to Facebook, Telegram, etc., to prevent deletion of evidence.

3. Civil Remedies (You Can Sue for Money Damages)

Even while the criminal case is ongoing, you can file a separate civil case:

Civil Code Article 19, 20, 21, 26 – Abuse of rights, acts contrary to law/morals, violation of privacy/dignity/honor
→ Moral damages (₱100,000–₱1,000,000+), exemplary damages, attorney’s fees
Article 32(9) – Direct liability for violation of right to privacy
Article 2176 – Quasi-delict (if negligence is involved)
RA 9995, RA 9262, RA 11313 all allow civil damages in the same proceeding.

Many victims recover ₱200,000 to ₱2,000,000+ in damages, especially when the perpetrator is identified and has assets.

4. Practical Outcomes and Success Rate

The Philippines has a very high conviction rate in properly filed sextortion/blackmail cases (especially when RA 9995 + Cybercrime are combined). Perpetrators are regularly arrested within days when they use local mobile numbers, GCash, or Philippine bank accounts.

Even if the blackmailer is abroad (e.g., Nigerian or Pakistani syndicates), the PNP-ACG and NBI have successfully coordinated with Interpol and foreign police for arrests and takedown of materials.

Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok comply quickly with Philippine preservation and removal requests when submitted through the DOJ or PNP.

5. Support Services for Victims

Women’s Crisis Center: (02) 8926-7745 / 0908-865-9888
PNP Women and Children Protection Center: 0919-777-7377
DOJ Victim Compensation Program – up to ₱500,000 compensation in some cases
Psychological counseling is available free through DSWD or local government units

Final Advice

Blackmail thrives on shame and fear. The moment you report it, the power dynamic completely reverses. The law treats victims with compassion and perpetrators with severity. Do not suffer in silence — report immediately. The earlier you act, the higher the chance of full evidence preservation, perpetrator arrest, content removal, and financial compensation.

You are not alone, and the Philippine legal system has all the tools needed to punish the blackmailer and protect you completely.