INTEGRATION OF POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND JAILS IN CERTAIN PROVINCES

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 482
• Sections: 15

Preamble

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 12, Article XV of the

Constitution of the Philippines, a proposed Presidential Decree for the

establishment of an Integrated National Police Force, with the

Philippine Constabulary as the nucleus, is under consideration;

WHEREAS, in view of the over-all importance of the

establishment of such Integrated National Police Force upon the peace

and order condition of the nation, there is need to test its viability

and efficacy to attain its goal of having an efficient, responsive

police service by eliminating the causes of irritants and jealousies

among independent police and other law-enforcement agencies, such a

conflicts in political/jurisdictional boundaries, lack of coordination

and duplication of functions;

WHEREAS, the constitution of the city/municipal police and

fire departments and jails in the Greater Manila Area into the

Metropolitan Police Force pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 421, dated

March 21, 1974 is a step toward the establishment of such Integrated

National Police Force;

WHEREAS, in order to have a country-wide yardstick for

assessing the benefits that can be generated by an Integrated National

Police Force and for determining possible defects of such system and

eliminating the same, it is necessary that pilot projects similar to the

Metropolitan Police Force in the Greater Manila Area be established in

urban areas/centers of population within each Philippine Constabulary

Zone;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the

Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the

Constitution, and pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated September

21, 1972 and No. 1104, dated January 17, 1973 and General Order No. 1,

dated September 22, 1972, do hereby order and decree to be part of the

law of the land, the following:

Section 1 Integration of city/municipal-police and fire departments and jails in certain provinces.

SECTION 1. Integration of city/municipal-police and fire

departments and jails in certain provinces.—All laws to the

contrary notwithstanding, the city/municipal police and fire departments

and jails in the following provinces, as they are presently constituted

and organized, are hereby integrated into law enforcement units to be

known as indicated:

All municipalities of the Province of Bulacan, except the

Municipality of Valenzuela, to be known as the Bulacan Integrated

Police Force;

All municipalities of the Province of Pampanga, including the

City of Angeles, to be known as the Pampanga Integrated Police Force;

All municipalities of the Province of Nueva Ecija, including

the Cities of Cabanatuan, Palayan and San Jose, to be known as the Nueva

Ecija Integrated Police Force;

All municipalities of the Province of Laguna, including the

City of San Pablo, to be known as the Laguna Integrated Police Force;

All municipalities of the Province of Cebu, including the

Cities of Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Toledo, to be known as the

Cebu Integrated Police Force; and

All municipalities of the Province of Misamis Oriental,

including the Cities of Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog, to be known as the

Misamis Oriental Integrated Police Force.

Section 2 Head of the Integrated Police Forces.

SEC. 2. Head of the Integrated Police Forces.—The

heads of the Bulacan Integrated Police Force, the Pampanga Integrated

Police Force, the Nueva Ecija Integrated Police Force, the Laguna

Integrated Police Force, the Cebu Integrated Police Force and the

Misamis Oriental Integrated Police Force shall be designated by the

Chief of Constabulary from among the officers of the Philippine

Constabulary.

Section 3 Jurisdiction of the Integrated Police Forces.

SEC. 3. Jurisdiction of the Integrated Police Forces.—

The Integrated Police Forces constituted pursuant to Section 1 hereof

shall be responsible for the public safety and discharge the functions

of enforcement of the laws and maintenance of peace and order within the

territorial limits of each of the above-mentioned provinces and the

cities therein. These Integrated Police Forces shall have the power to

prevent crimes, take necessary measures for public safety, effect arrest

of criminal offenders, investigate the commission of all crimes and

offenses in their respective jurisdictions and bring the offenders to

justice.

Section 4 Operational control and direction over the Integrated Police Forces.

SEC. 4. Operational control and direction over the

Integrated Police Forces.—The Philippine Constabulary shall exercise

operational control, direction and supervision over the Integrated

Police Forces herein constituted. For this purpose, the Chief of

Constabulary shall integrate the above-mentioned Integrated Police

Forces into the organizational and operational set-up of the Philippine

Constabulary and exercise control, direction and supervision through the

Head of each of the said Integrated Police Forces: Provided,

That such Integrated Police Forces shall not form part of the Philippine

Constabulary as a military organization and a Major Service of the

Armed Forces of the Philippines but as civilian components thereof,

except as may be directed by the President in time of emergency.

Section 5 Extent of control and direction.

SEC. 5. Extent of control and direction.—The

power of control and direction over each of the Integrated Police Forces

shall include the power to control and direct the tactical, strategic

movements, deployments, placements and/or utilization of the Integrated

Police Forces concerned, or any of its components, elements, equipment,

facilities, and all other resources, within its territorial

jurisdiction; the training of the members thereof; and such other powers

that may be necessary to make such control and direction real and

effective.

Section 6 Power of administrative control and supervision.

SEC. 6. Power of administrative control and

supervision.—Administrative control and supervision over the several

police and fire departments and jails composing each of the Integrated

Police Forces herein constituted shall, prior to the transfer provided

for in Section 7 hereof, remain with the offices, agencies and officials

in which said power is vested in accordance with existing laws: Provided,

That such power shall not be exercised in a manner that will adversely

affect the integrity, capability and operational efficiency of said

Integrated Police Forces or any of their components/elements.

Accordingly, administrative matters, such as appointment, promotion,

suspension, separation and other administrative disciplinary action;

grant/payment of salary and/or allowances, compensation, leave, and

other benefits, logistical support, and such other matters pertaining to

personnel administration, which are currently vested in and exercised

by other officials pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations

shall remain with said officials: Provided, further, That the

appointment, promotion, suspension and separation of, and other

disciplinary action upon, any member of the Integrated Police Forces

herein constituted shall be effected only upon recommendation of the

Head thereof: Provided, finally, That in case of conflict between

the exercise of administrative control and supervision, on the one

hand, and operational control, direction and supervision, on the other

hand, the latter shall prevail.

Section 7 Administration control and supervision to be transferred to the Philippine Constabulary.

SEC. 7. Administration control and supervision to be

transferred to the Philippine Constabulary.—After one year, but not

later than two years, from the effectivity of this Decree, the power of

administrative control and supervision provided for in Section 6 hereof

shall be taken over and exercised by the Philippine Constabulary. For

this purpose, the personnel, records, funds, property, equipment,

facilities and other resources belonging to, being used by or intended

for the several police and fire departments and jails composing such

Integrated Police Forces, including firearms, motor vehicles,

communications and criminal laboratory facilities, if any, shall be

transferred to the administration and custody of the Philippine

Constabulary: Provided, That upon the effectivity of this Decree

but before such transfer, no such personnel, records, funds, property,

equipment, facilities and other resources shall be transferred out of,

or removed or diverted from said police and fire departments and jails.

Section 8 Funding of the Integrated Police Forces.

SEC. 8. Funding of the Integrated Police Forces.—Effective

upon the transfer of the power of administrative control and

supervision over the several police and fire departments and jails to

the Philippine Constabulary as herein provided, each of the cities and

municipalities referred to in Section 1 of this Decree shall allocate at

least eighteen (18%) per centum of its annual gross income as

its contribution for the maintenance of the Integrated Police Force to

which its police and fire departments and jail are integrated. The

National Government shall provide subsidies and other types of fund

support to insure a minimum standard salary for the members thereof and

provide for the modernization of their public safety

equipment/installations in accordance with existing laws and policies or

as may hereafter be provided.

Section 9 Funding for integration activities.

SEC. 9. Funding for integration activities.—Upon

the promulgation of this Decree but prior to the allocation of the

eighteen (18%) per centum of the annual gross income of the

cities and municipalities referred to in the preceding Section 8 for the

support of the Integrated Police Force into which their respective

police and fire departments and jails have been integrated, the sum of

eleven million pesos is hereby authorized to be drawn from the

unreleased appropriation of any government agency for fiscal year 1974

to be used solely by the Philippine Constabulary to support the police

integration activities called for in this Decree: Provided, That

the unexpended balance of this fund at the end of the fiscal year shall

be available and is hereby authorized for expenditure in the succeeding

years.

Section 10 No reduction in salary.

SEC. 10. No reduction in salary.—This Decree

shall be implemented in such manner that will not result, except for

cause provided by law, in the reduction of salary among the personnel

of the Integrated Police Forces.

Section 11 Chief of Constabulary to promulgate rules and regulations.

SEC. 11. Chief of Constabulary to promulgate rules

and regulations.—The Chief of Constabulary shall, with the approval

of the Secretary of National Defense, promulgate the necessary rules and

regulations for the effective implementation of this Decree.

Section 12 Penal provision.

SEC. 12. Penal provision.—Any person who

directly or indirectly obstructs or interferes with the implementation

of this Decree or of the rules and regulations promulgated by the Chief

of Constabulary in accordance herewith shall, upon conviction, suffer

imprisonment of not less than three (3) years nor more than six (6)

years and/or a fine of not less than P5,000 pesos nor more than P10,000

pesos, at the discretion of the court.

When the offender is a public officer or employee, he shall, in

addition to the foregoing penalty, suffer disqualification from holding

any public office or employment for life.

Section 13 Repealing clause.

SEC. 13. Repealing

clause.—The provisions of Republic Act No. 4864, otherwise known as

the "Police Act of 1966", as amended by Presidential Decrees No. 1,

dated September 22, 1972; No. 12, dated September 24, 1972; No. 12-A

dated October 4, 1972; No. 12-B, dated October 28, 1972; No. 170, dated

April 4, 1973 and No. 448, dated May 9, 1974; the provisions of the City

Charters of the Cities of Angeles, Cabanatuan, Palayan, San Jose, San

Pablo, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Toledo, Cagayan de Oro and

Gingoog, all as amended, all laws, decrees, orders, instructions, rules

and regulations which are inconsistent with this Decree are hereby

repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 14 Effectivity.

SEC. 14. Effectivity.—This Decree shall take effect

upon approval.

Done in the City of Manila, this 13th day of June, in the year

of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.

(Sgd.)

FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.)

ALEJANDRO MELCHOR

Executive Secretary