Code of Kalantiaw

This Penal Code reflects the civilization of Pre-Spanish Batan, Aklan.  Promulgated in 1433 A.D.  It was written before America was discovered and before Spain was a World SeaPower during the 15th century.  This code could be compared with the Code of Hammurabi and the Code of Solon of Greece

 

  1. YE shall not Kill, nor steal, nor wound the aged, or ye shall be in danger of death. Whosoever shall transgress these laws shall die by being drowned in a river with a stone or boiling water.
  2. YE shall comply with all debs due to the chief by fully paying said obligations. Whosoever is in defaults shall be lashed one hundred times for the first     offense.  If the debt considerable, the offender’s hand shall be put into boiling water.  For the second offense he shall die by being beaten.
  3. YE shall obey by not having wives who are very young or more wives that you can take care of, nor shall be indulge in excessive lust. Whosoever shall not comply, obey and follow shall be sentenced to swim for three hours, and for the second offense, he shall die by being beaten with thorns.
  4. YE shall follow and obey; YE shall not disturb the peace of the graves, upon passing by them, ye shall respect then in the caves of trees where they may be. Whosoever violates this law shall be put to death by being exposed to ants or by being beaten with prongs.
  5. Ye Shall obey; Barters for food shall always be complied with strictly and to the letter.  Whosoever violates this agreement shall be beaten for one hour.  Whosoever shall repeat the offense shall be exposed to the ants for one day.
  6. Ye shall be obliged to revere places of trees of well known value and other spots. Whosoever shall not comply shall pay with his labor for one month, in gold or money; for the second offense he shall become a slave.
  7. The following shall suffer death; Whosoever shall fell trees of venerable aspect; whosoever at night shoot arrow at the aged and woman; whosoever shall enter the chief’s dwelling without permission; whosoever shall kill a shark or strip a crocodile.
  8. Whosoever shall kidnap the wives of chiefs shall be reduced to slavery for one year; the same penalty shall imposed upon whosoever shall keep dogs that have bitten chiefs and whosoever burn another’s crop.
  9. The following shall beaten for two days; Whosoever shall sing as he travels at night or shall kill Mana-oe birds, or shall tear the documents of the chiefs, or who shall tell lies with malice aforethought.
  10. It shall be the duty; of every mother to secretly impart sex education to her daughter and prepare them for womanhood; for men to refrain from being cruel or punishing wives when caught in adultery.
  11. The following shall be burned at the stakes; Whosoever shall, by force or tricky baffle elude punishment, or shall kill two children, or shall attempt to   kidnap the elder’s wives.
  12. The following shall be drowned; All slaves who resist their superiors or owners or masters; whosoever shall abuse their lust; whosoever shall kill their idols breaking them or throwing them away.
  13. The following shall be exposed to ants for one half day; Whosoever shall kill cats during the New Moon, or shall steal things pertaining to the chiefs and elders, however small and inexpensive they may be.
  14. Whosoever having beautiful daughters shall not consent to their marriage to the chiefs sons or shall hide them in bad faith, shall be reduced to slavery for life.
  15. Concerning beliefs and superstition; Whosoever shall eat the bad meat of sacred animals, and herbs that are reputed to be good; whosoever shall injure or kill manual chickens or white monkeys, shall be whipped.
  16. Whosoever shall break wooden or clay idols at their altars and places of offerings; or whosoever shall destroy the spear of priestesses with which to kill pigs, or shall break drinking vessels shall have their fingers cut off;
  17. Whosoever shall profane places where sacred things of idols and chiefs are buried shall be put to death. Whosever shall let his vowels move or urinate on said spots shall be burned at the stake.
  18. Whosoever shall fail to execute these mandates, if he be a chief, shall stoned and crushed to death, and if he be an alders shall be thrown into a river to be devoured by sharks and crocodiles.

Inakeanon