WHEREAS, Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred
eighty-seven, otherwise known as, "The Private Security Agency Law," has been
amended by Presidential Decree No. 11, dated October 3, 1972 to make it more
responsive to the demands of peace and order especially after the promulgation
of Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972;
WHEREAS, in the course of the enforcement of said Private
Security Agency Law, as amended, it has been observed that there is need for
additional amendments to attain fully the objectives thereof;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and in
my capacity as Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, do
hereby order and decree that:
Section three (d) of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred eighty-seven,
otherwise known as, "The Private Security Agency Law," as amended, be further
amended, to read as follows:
"(d) Watchman or Security Guard; Watchman or Security Guard Agency. — Any
person who offers or renders personal service to watch or secure either
residential or business establishment, or both, or any building, compound, or
area, including, but not limited to, logging, concessions, agricultural, mining
or pasture lands, for hire or compensation, or as an employee thereof, including
any employee of the national or local governments or any agency or
instrumentality thereof and of government-owned or controlled firms or
corporations, who is employed to watch ui1 secure government buildings,
compounds, premises and other properties, other than members of the Armed Forces
of the Philippines, guards of the Bureau of Prisons, provincial and city jail
guards, and members of city and municipal police forces, shall be known as
watchman or security guard; and any person, association, partnership, firm or
private corporation, who/which recruits, trains, furnishes, or employs any
watchman or security guard, or solicits individual, business firms, private,
public or government-owned or controlled corporations to engage his/its service
or those of his/its watchmen or security guards, shall be known as Watchman or
Security Guard Agency."
Section four of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred and eighty-seven,
as amended, is amended further by adding as the last paragraph thereof the
following:
"The qualifications for an individual, firm, corporation, partnership, or
association not doing business or organized purposely or principally as a
watchman or security guard agency who/which is utilizing any of his/its
employees to watch, secure or guard his/its business establishment, premises,
compound or properties and required to secure a license in accordance herewith
shall be as prescribed by the law, rules and regulations governing his/its
business organization and operation."
Section five of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred and eighty-seven is
hereby amended by inserting before the final proviso thereto the following:
"Provided, furthermore, That instead of the qualifications herein
prescribed, employees of the national or local governments or any agency or
instrumentality thereof, or of government-owned or controlled corporations
required to secure a license under this Act shall be subject to the
qualifications for the positions to which they are appointed."
Section eight of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred and eighty-seven
is hereby amended by inserting as the last paragraph thereof, the following:
"Provided, finally, That the national or local governments or the
agencies or instrumentalities thereof, as well as government-owned or controlled
corporations which shall utilize any of their employees as watchman or security
guard are exempted from securing the license herein prescribed."
Section eight of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred eighty-seven is
hereby amended by inserting as the last proviso thereof, the following:
"Provided, further, That employees of the national or local
governments or the agencies or instrumentalities thereof, as well as of
government-owned or controlled corporations, who are employed or utilized as
watchman or security guard as herein defined, shall not pay the fees nor file
the bonds herein prescribed."
Section nine of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred eighty-seven is
amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 9. Employees need not be licensed. — Any
person operating, managing, directing or conducting a licensed private watchman
or security guard agency, as well as any person having any participation in the
management or operation thereof except those employed solely for clerical or
manual work shall secure the license prescribed by Section 6 of this Act, as
amended.”
Section eleven of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred eighty-seven is
hereby amended by adding as the second paragraph thereof, the following:
"In case of emergency or in times of disasters or calamities, the Chief of
Constabulary may deputize any private detective, watchman or security guard as
herein defined to assist the Philippine Constabulary in the performance of
Constabulary duties for the duration of such emergency, disaster or
calamity."
Paragraph one of Section sixteen of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred
eighty-seven is hereby amended to read as follows:
"On membership: No license shall be granted to any agency unless it has under
its employ at least fifty watchmen or security guards: Provided, That
any agency which is now operating with less than fifty watchmen and/or security
guards may continue to operate until June 30, 1973: Provided, further,
That all agencies shall have under their employ not less than one hundred
watchmen and/or security guards by January 1, 1974: Provided, finally,
That the maximum number of watchmen or security guards that an agency may
employ, to include its branches, shall be as follows:
(1) In the Greater Manila Area (Philippine Constabulary Metropolitan Command
Area of operation)—not more than one thousand;
(2) In first class cities and
municipalities—not more than five hundred; and
(3) In other cities and
municipalities—not more than three hundred.
The Chief of Constabulary may promulgate necessary rules and regulations for
the
effective implementation of this Decree.
Done in the City of Manila, this 17th day of January, in the year of Our
Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-three.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary