Presidential Decree No. 531 (PD 531) — Integration of Police and Fire Departments and Jails in Other Provinces
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 12, Article XV of the
Constitution of the Philippines, "the State shall establish and maintain
an integrated national police force whose organization, administration
and operation shall be provided by law";
WHEREAS, toward the implementation of the aforequoted
provisions of the Constitution, pilot projects have been established,
such that the police forces, fire departments and jails in the Greater
Manila Area have been constituted as the Metropolitan Police Force
pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 421, dated March 21, 1974; while the
police forces, fire departments and jails in the provinces of Bulacan,
Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Cebu and Misamis Oriental, including
those of the Cities therein, have been similarly integrated pursuant to
Presidential Decree No. 482, dated June 13, 1974;
WHEREAS, the objective of the aforementioned integration is
to determine the efficacy thereof for the cause of peace and order
throughout the country, as well as the possible defects of such system
and to eliminate the same;
WHEREAS, in order to attain the objectives of the aforesaid
pilot projects, it is necessary that similar projects be established in
other provinces;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President 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:
Integration of city/municipal police and fire departments and jails in other provinces.
SECTION 1. Integration of city/municipal police and fire
departments and jails in other 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 Benguet, including the
City of Baguio, to be known as the Benguet Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of La Union, to be known as
the La Union Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Bataan, to be known as
the Bataan Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Rizal, except the
municipalities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Makati, Mandaluyong,
San Juan, Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig, Navotas and Malabon, to be
known as the Rizal Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Cavite, including the
Cities of Cavite, Trece Martires and Tagaytay, to be known as the Cavite
Integrated Police Force;
All the municipalities of the Province of Batangas, including
the Cities of Batangas and Lipa, to be known as the Batangas Integrated
Police Force;
All the municipalities of the Province of Quezon, including the
City of Lucena, to be known as the Quezon Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Iloilo, including the
City of Iloilo and the Subprovince of Guimaras to be known as the Iloilo
Integrated Police Force;
All the municipalities of the Province of Negros Occidental,
including the Cities of Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, La Carlota, San Carlos and
Silay, to be known as the Negros Occidental Integrated Police Force;
All the municipalities of the Province of Negros Oriental
including the Cities of Bais, Canlaon and Dumaguete, to be known as the
Negros Oriental Integrated Police Force;
All the municipalities of the province of Leyte, including the
Cities of Ormoc and Tacloban, to be known as the Leyte Integrated
Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Southern Leyte to be
known as the Southern Leyte Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Davao del Norte, to be
known as the Davao del Norte Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Davao Oriental, to be
known as the Davao Oriental Integrated Police Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Davao del Sur, including
the City of Davao, to be known as the Davao del Sur Integrated Police
Force;
All municipalities of the Province of Lanao del Norte,
including the City of Iligan, to be known as the Lanao del Norte
Integrated Police Force; and
All municipalities of the Province of Lanao del Sur, including
the City of Marawi to be known as the Lanao del Sur Integrated Police
Force;
Head of the Integrated Police Forces.
SEC. 2. Head of the Integrated Police Forces.—The
heads of the Benguet Integrated Police Force, the La Union
Integrated Police Force, the Bataan Integrated Police Force,
the Rizal Integrated Police Force, the Cavite Integrated Police Force,
the Quezon Integrated Police Force, the Batangas Integrated Police
Force, the Iloilo Integrated Police Force, the Negros Occidental
Integrated Police Force, the Leyte Integrated Police Force,
the Southern; Leyte Integrated Police Force, the Davao del Norte grated
Police Force, the Davao Oriental Integrated Force, the Davao del
Sur Integrated Police Force, Lanao del Norte Integrated Police Force
and the del Sur Integrated Police Force shall be designated b Chief of
Constabulary from among the officers of the Philippine Constabulary.
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 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 public safety, effect arrest of criminal the commission
of all crimes and offenses in jurisdiction and bring the offenders to
justices.
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
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.
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.
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 matter 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.
Administrative control and supervision to be transferred to the Philippine Constabulary.
SEC. 7. Administrative 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, or
removed or diverted from said police and fire departments and jails.
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 one 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 jails 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.
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 hereof for the
support of the Integrated Police Force into which their respective
police and fire departments and jails have been integrated, the sum of
twenty-seven million pesos is hereby authorized to be drawn from the
unreleased or unprogrammed appropriation and or savings of any
government agency for previous fiscal years 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.
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.
Chief of Constabulary to promulgate rules and validations.
SEC. 11. Chief of Constabulary to promulgate rules
and validations. — 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.
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.
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, 1S72; No. 12-B, dated October 28, 1972;
No. 170, dated April 4, 1973 and No. 418, dated May 9, 1974; the
provisions of the City Charters of the Cities of Baguio, Cavite, Trece
Martires, Tagaytay, Lucena, Batangas, Lipa, Iloilo, Bacolod, Bago,
Cadiz, La Carlota, San Carlos, Silay, Bais, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Ormoc,
Tacloban, Davao, Iligan and Marawi, all as amended, all laws, decrees,
orders, instructions, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with
this Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Effectivity.
SEC. 14. Effectivity. — This Decree shall take
effect upon approval.
Done in the City of Manila, this 8th day of August, 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
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
