09 July 2018

IRR of Republic Act No. 9165 (part 4)

 
ARTICLE IX
DANGEROUS DRUGS BOARD AND PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

Section 77
The Dangerous Drugs Board

The Board shall be the policy–making and strategy–formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control. It shall develop and adopt comprehensive, integrated, unified and balanced national drug abuse prevention and control strategy. It shall be under the Office of the President.
                                    

Section 78
Composition of the Board

The Board shall be composed of seventeen members wherein three of which are permanent members, the other twelve members shall be in the ex–officio capacity and the two shall be regular members

The three permanent members, who shall possess at least seven year training and experience in the field of dangerous drugs and in any of the following fields: law, medicine, criminology, psychology or social work, shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines. The President shall designate a Chairperson, who shall have the rank of a secretary from among the three permanent members who shall serve for six years. Of the two other members, who shall both have the rank of undersecretary, one shall serve for four years and the other for two years. Thereafter, the persons appointed to succeed such members shall hold office for a term of six years and until their successors shall have been duly appointed and qualified.

The other twelve members who shall be ex–officio members of the Board are the following:

1. Secretary of the Department of Justice or his/her representative;

2. Secretary of the Department of Health or his/her representative;

3. Secretary of the Department of National Defense of his/her representative;

4. Secretary of the Department of finance or his/her representative;

5. Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment of his/her representative;

6. Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government or his/her representative;

7. Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development of his/her representative;

8. Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affair or his/her representative;

9. Secretary of the Department of Education of his/her representative;

10.  Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education or his/her representative;

11.  Chairperson of the National Youth Commission; and

12.  Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency

Cabinet secretaries who are members of the Board may designate their duly authorized and permanent representative whose ranks shall in no case be lower than undersecretary.

The two regular members shall be as follows:

a. The President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; and

b. The Chairperson or President of a non–government organization involved in dangerous drug campaign to be appointed by the President of the Philippines

The Director of the NBI and the Chief of the PNP shall be the permanent consultants of the Board, and shall attend all the meetings of the Board.

All members of the Board, as well as its permanent consultants, shall receive a per diem for every meeting actually attended subject to the pertinent budgetary laws, rules and regulations on compensation, honoraria and allowances: Provided, that where the representative of an ex–officio member or of the permanent consultant of the Board attends a meeting in behalf of the latter, such representative shall be entitled to receive the per diem.

Section 79
Meetings of the Board

The Board shall meet once a week or more frequently as necessary at the discretion of the Chairperson or at the call of any four other members. The presence of nine members shall constitute a quorum.


Section 80
Secretariat of the Board

The Board shall recommend to the President of the Philippines the appointment of an Executive Director, with the rank of an undersecretary, who shall be the Secretary of the Board and administrative officer of its secretariat, and shall perform such other duties that may be assigned to him/her. He/she must possess adequate knowledge, training and experience in the field of dangerous drugs, and in any of the following fields: law enforcement, law, medicine, criminology, psychology or social work.

Two deputy executive directors, for administration and operations, with the ranks of assistant secretary, shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Board. They shall possess the same qualifications as those of the executive director. They shall receive a salary corresponding to their position as prescribed by the Salary Standardization Law as a Career Service Officer.

The existing secretariat of the Board shall be under administrative control and supervision of the Executive Director. It shall be composed of the following services: Policy Studies, Research and Statistics; Preventive Education, Training and Information, Legal Affairs; and Administrative and Financial Management.


Section 
Powers and Duties of the Board

The Board shall:

a. Formulate, develop and establish a comprehensive, integrated, unified and balanced national drug abuse prevention and control strategy;

b. Promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of the Act, including the manner of safekeeping, disposition, burning or condemnation of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical under the charge and custody of DDB, PDEA and other concerned agencies, and prescribe administrative remedies or sanctions for the violations of such rules and regulations;

c. Conduct policy studies, program monitoring and evaluations and other researches on drug prevention, control and enforcement;

d. Initiate, conduct and support scientific, clinical, social, psychological, physical and biological researches on dangerous drugs and dangerous drugs prevention and control measures;

e. Develop an educational program and information drive on the hazards and prevention of illegal use of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical based on factual data, and disseminate the same to the general public, for which purpose the Board shall endeavor to make the general public aware of the hazards of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical by providing among others, literature, films, displays or advertisements and by coordinating with all institutions of learning, as well as with all national and local enforcement agencies, in planning and conducting its educational campaign programs to be implemented by the appropriate government agencies;

f.  Conduct continuing seminars for, and consultations with, and provide information materials to judges and prosecutors in coordination with the Office of the Court Administrator, in the case of judges, and the DOJ, in the case of prosecutors, which aim to provide them with the current developments and programs of the Board pertinent to its campaign against dangerous drugs and its scientific researches on dangerous drugs, its prevention and control measures;

g. Design special trainings in order to provide law enforcement officers, members of the judiciary, and prosecutors, school authorities and personnel of centers with knowledge and know–how in dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals control, in coordination with the Supreme Court, to meet the objectives of the national drug control programs;

h. Design and develop, in consultation and coordination with the DOH, DSWD and other agencies involved in drugs control, treatment and rehabilitation, both public and private a national treatment and rehabilitation program for drug dependents including a standards after–care and community service program for recovering drug dependents;

i.  Design and develop, jointly with the DOLE and in consultation with labor and employer groups, as well as non–government organizations, a drug abuse prevention program in the workplace that would include a provision for employee assistance programs for emotionally–stressed employees;

j.  Prescribe and promulgate rules and regulations governing the establishment of such centers, networks and laboratories as deemed necessary after conducting a feasibility study, in coordination with the DOH and other government agencies;

k. Initiate and authorized closure proceedings against non–accredited and/or substandard rehabilitation centers based on verified reports of human rights violation, subhuman conditions, inadequate medical training and assistance and excessive fees for implementation by the PDEA;

In conjunction with sub–paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) of Section 76 and sub–paragraphs (j) and (k) of Section 81, the DDB and the DOH shall jointly promulgate standards and guidelines for the establishment, operationalization, monitoring and closure of treatment and rehabilitation facilities.

l.  Receive, gather, collect and evaluate all information on the importation, exportation, production, manufacture, sale, stocks, seizures of and the estimated need for any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical, for which purpose the Board may require from any official, instrumentality or agency of the government or any private person or enterprise dealing in, or engaged in activities having to do with any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical such data or information as it may need to implement the Act;

m.   Gather and prepare detailed statistics on the importation, exportation, manufacture, stocks, seizures of an estimated need for any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical and such other statistical data on said drugs as may be periodically required by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the World Health Organization and other international organizations in consonance with the country’s international commitments;

n. Develop and maintain international networking coordination with international drug control agencies and organizations, and implement the provisions of international conventions and agreements thereon which have been adopted and approved by the Congress of the Philippines;

o. Require all government and private hospitals, clinics, doctors, dentists and other practitioners’ to submit a report to the Board, in coordination with the PDEA about all dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals–related cases to which they have attended for statistics and research purposes;

p. Receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real and persona properties of all kinds, to administer and dispose of the same when necessary for the benefit of government and private rehabilitation centers subject to limitations, directions and instructions from the donors; if any;

q. Issue guidelines as to the approval or disapproval of applications for voluntary treatment, rehabilitation or confinement, wherein it shall issue the necessary guidelines, rules and regulations pertaining to the application and its enforcement;

r. Formulate guidelines, in coordination with other government agencies, the importation, distribution, production, manufacture, compounding, prescription, dispensing and sale of, and other lawful acts in connection with any dangerous drug, controlled precursor and essential chemical and other similar or analogous substances of such kind and in such quantity as it may deem necessary according to the medical and research needs or requirements of the country including diet pills containing ephedrine and other addictive chemicals and determine the quantity and/or quality of dangerous drugs and precursors and essential chemicals to be imported, manufactured and held in stock at any given time by authorized importer, manufacturer or distributor of such drugs: Provided, that the corresponding license for this purpose shall be issued by the PDEA;

s. Develop, in consultation with concerned agencies, the utilization of a controlled delivery scheme in addressing the transshipment of dangerous drugs into and out of the country to neutralize transnational crime syndicates involved in illegal trafficking of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical for implementation by the PDEA in collaboration with other agencies and foreign counterparts;

t.  Recommend the revocation of the professional license of any practitioner who is an owner, co–owner, lessee, or in the employ of the drug establishment, or manager of a partnership, corporation, association, or any juridical entity owning and/or controlling such establishment, and who knowingly participates in or consents to tolerates, or abets the commission of the act of violations as indicated in the preceding paragraph, all without prejudice to the criminal prosecution of the person responsible for the said violation;

u. Appoint such technical, administrative and other personnel as may be necessary for the effective implementation of the Act, subject to the Civil Service Law and its rules and regulations;

v. Establish a regular and continuing consultation with concerned government agencies and medical professional organizations to determine if balance exists in policies, procedures, rules and regulations on dangerous drugs and to provide recommendations on how the lawful use of dangerous drugs can be improved and facilitated;

w. Approve changes in the organizational set–up of PDEA as submitted by the Director General of the PDEA, as provided for under Section 83;

x. Approve the establishment of the PDEA Academy either in Baguio or Tagaytay City, and in such other places as may be necessary, and provide for the qualifications and requirements of PDEA recruits who must be at least twenty–one years old, of proven integrity and honesty and a baccalaureate degree holder, as provided for under Section 85;

y. Reclassify, add to or remove any dangerous drug from, the lists of dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals, as provided for under Section 93;

z. Receive from DOH all income derived from fees for drug dependency examinations and other medical and legal services provided to the public which shall be constituted as special funds for the implementation of the Act, as provided for under Section 76 (f);

aa.  Receive fines, fees, net proceeds of any sale or disposition of any property confiscated or forfeited, and other income authorized and imposed under the Act, including ten percent of all unclaimed and forfeited sweepstakes and lotto prizes but not less than twelve million pesos (P12,000,000.00) per year from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) a month from PAGCOR, which shall constitute as special account in the general fund for the implementation of the Act, excluding the operating expenses of the Board and other concerned agencies at least fifty percent (50%) of all funds which shall be reserved for assistance to government – owned and/or operated rehabilitation centers, as provided for under Section 76 (f) and 87;

bb. Recommend to the concerned agency the grant of compensation, reward and award to any person providing information and to law enforcers participating in a successful drug operation, as provided for in Section 22;

cc. Manage the funds as it may deem proper for the attainment of the objectives of the Act. The Chairperson of the Board shall submit to the President of the Philippines and the Presiding Officers of both Houses of Congress, within fifteen days from the opening of the regular session, an annual report on the dangerous drugs situation of the country which shall include detailed account of the programs and projects undertaken, statistics on crimes related to dangerous drugs, expenses incurred pursuant to the provisions of the Act, recommended remedial legislation, if needed, and such other relevant facts as it may deem proper to cite, as provided for under Section 88; and

dd. Submit an annual and periodic reports to the President, the Congress of the Philippines and the Senate and House of Representatives Committee concerned as may be required from time to time, and perform such other functions as may be authorized or required under existing laws and as directed by the President himself/herself or as recommended by the Congressional Committees concerned.

Section 82
Creation of the Philippine Enforcement Agency (PDEA)

To carry out the provisions of the Act, the PDEA, which serves as the implementing arm of the Board, shall be responsible for the efficient and effective law enforcement of all provisions of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical as provided in the Act.

The PDEA shall be headed by a Director General with the rank of Undersecretary, who shall be responsible for the general administration and management of the Agency. The Director General of the PDEA shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines and shall perform such other duties that may be assigned to him/her. He/she must possess adequate knowledge, training and experience in the field of dangerous drugs, and in of the following fields: law enforcement, law, medicine, criminology, psychology or social work.

The Director General of the PDEA shall be assisted in the performance of his/her duties and responsibilities by two deputy director generals with the rank of Assistant Secretary, one for Operations and the other one for Administration. The two deputy director generals shall likewise be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Board. The two deputy director generals shall possess the same qualifications as those of the Director General of the PDEA. The Director General and the two deputy director generals shall receive the compensation and salaries as prescribed by law.


Section 83
Organization of the PDEA

The present Secretariat of the National Drug Law Enforcement and Prevention Coordinating Center (DEP Center) as created by Executive Order No. 61 shall be accordingly modified and absorbed by the PDEA.

The Director General of the PDEA shall be responsible for the necessary changes in the organizational set–up which shall be submitted to the Board for approval.

For purposes of carrying out its duties and powers as provided for in succeeding Section of this IRR, the PDEA shall have the following Services namely: Intelligence and Investigation; International Cooperation and Foreign Affairs; Preventive Education and Community Involvement; Plans and Operations; Compliance; Legal and Prosecution; Administrative and Human Resource; Financial Management; Logistics Management; and Internal Affairs.

The PDEA shall establish and maintain regional offices in the different regions of the country which shall be responsible for the implementation of the Act and the policies, programs, and projects of said agency in their respective regions.

Section 84
Powers and Duties of the PDEA

The PDEA shall:

a. Implement or cause the efficient and effective implementation of the national drug control strategy formulated by the Board thereby carrying out a national anti–drug campaign with the assistance of concerned government agencies.

b. Undertake the enforcement of the provisions of Article II of the Act relative to the unlawful acts and penalties involving any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical and investigate all violators and other matters involved in the commission of any crime relative to the use, abuse or trafficking of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical as provided for in the act and the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1619;

c. Administer oath, issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum relative to the conduct of investigation involving the violations of the act;

d. Arrest and apprehend as well as search all violators and seize or confiscate, the effect or proceeds of the crimes as provided by law and take custody thereof, for this purpose the prosecutors and enforcement agents are authorized to possess firearms, in accordance with existing laws;

e. Take charge and have custody of all dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemical seized, confiscated or surrendered to any national, provincial or local law enforcement agency, if no longer needed for purposes of evidence in court;

f.  Establish forensic laboratories in each PNP office in every province and city in order to facilitate action on seized or confiscated drugs, thereby hastening the destruction of the same without delay;

g. Recommend to the DOH the forfeiture of properties and other assets of persons and/or corporations found to be violating the provisions of the Act and in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Anti–Money Laundering Act of 2001;

h. Prepare for prosecution or cause the filing of appropriate criminal and civil cases for violation of all laws on dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals, and other similar controlled substances, and assist, support and coordinate with other government agencies for the proper and effective prosecution of the same;

i.  Monitor and if warranted by circumstances, in coordination with the Philippine Postal Office and the Bureau of Customs, inspect all air cargo packages, parcels and mails in the central post office, which appear from the package and address itself to be a possible importation of dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals, through on–line or cyper shops via the internet or cyperspace;

j.  Conduct eradication programs to destroy wild or illegal growth of plants from which dangerous drugs may be extracted;

k. Initiate and undertake the formation of a nationwide organization which shall coordinate and supervise all activities against drug abuse in every province, city, municipality and barangay with the active and direct participation of all such local government units and non–government organizations, including citizenry, subject to the provisions of previously formulated programs of action against dangerous drugs;

l.  Establish and maintain a national drug intelligence system in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, other government agencies/offices and local government units that will assist in its apprehension of big–time drug lords;

m.   Establish and maintain close coordination, cooperation and linkages with international drug control and administration agencies and organizations, and implement the applicable provisions of international conventions and agreements related to dangerous drugs to which the Philippines is a signatory;

n. Create and maintain an efficient special enforcement unit to conduct investigation, file charges and transmit evidence to the proper court, wherein members of the said unit shall possess suitable and adequate firearms for their protection in connection with the performance of their duties: Provided, that no previous special permit for such possession shall be required;

o. Require all government and private hospitals, clinics, doctors, dentists and other practitioners to submit a report to it, in coordination with the Board, about all dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals which they have attended to for data and information purposes;

p. Coordinate with the Board for the facilitation of the issuance of necessary guidelines, rules and regulations for the proper implementation of the Act;

q. Initiate and undertake a national campaign for drug abuse prevention and drug control programs, where it may enlist the assistance of any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government, including government–owned and/or controlled corporations, in the anti–illegal drugs drive, which may include the use of their respective personnel, facilities, and resources for a more resolute detection and investigation of drug–related crimes and prosecution of the drug traffickers; and

r. Submit an annual and periodic reports to the Board as may be required from time to time, and perform such other functions as may be authorized or required under existing laws and as directed by the President himself/herself or as recommended by the Congressional Committees concerned.


Section 85      
The PDEA Academy

Upon the approval of the Board, the PDEA Academy shall be established either in Baguio or Tagaytay City, and in such other places as may be necessary. The PDEA Academy shall be responsible in the recruitment and training of all PDEA agents and personnel. The Board shall provide for the qualifications and requirements of its recruits who must be at least twenty–one years old, of proven integrity and honesty and a Baccaluareate degree holder.

The graduates of the Academy shall later comprise the operating units of the PDEA after the termination of the transition period of five years during which all the intelligence network and standard operating procedures of the PDEA has been set up and operationalized.

The Academy shall be headed by a Superintendent, with the rank of Director. He/she shall be appointed by the PDEA Director General.


Section 86
Transfer, Absorption, and Integration of All Operating Units on Illegal Drugs into the PDEA and Transitory Provisions

The Narcotics Group of the PNP, the Narcotics Division of the NBI and the Customs Narcotics Interdiction Unit are hereby abolished, however, they shall continue with the performance of their task as detail service with the PDEA, subject to screening, until such time that the organizational structure of the Agency is fully operational and the number of graduates of the PDEA Academy is sufficient to do the task themselves: Provided, that such personnel who are affected shall have the option of either being integrated into the PDEA or remain with their original mother agencies and shall, thereafter, be immediately reassigned to other units therein by the head of such agencies. Such personnel who are transferred, absorbed and integrated in the PDEA shall be extended appointments to positions similar in rank, salary and other emoluments and privileges granted to their respective positions in their original mother agencies.

The transfer, absorption and integration of the different offices and units provided for in this Section shall take effect within eighteen months from the effectivity of the Act: Provided that personnel absorbed and on detail service shall be given until five years to finally decide to join the PDEA.

Nothing in the Act shall mean a diminution of the investigative powers of the NBI and the PNP on all other crimes as provided for in their respective organic laws: Provided, however, that when the investigation being conducted by the NBI, the PNP or any ad hoc anti–drug task force is found to be a violation of any of the provisions of the Act, the PDEA shall be the lead agency. The NBI, the PNP or any of the task force shall immediately transfer the game to the PDEA; Provided, further, that the NBI, the PNP and the Bureau of Customs shall maintain close coordination with the PDEA on all drug related matters.

a. Relationship/Coordination between PDEA and other Agencies

The PDEA shall be the lead agency in the enforcement of the Act, while the PNP, the NBI and other law enforcement agencies shall continue to conduct anti–drug operations in support of the PDEA: Provided, that the said agencies shall, as far as practicable, coordinate with the PDEA prior to anti–drug operations; Provided, further, that, in any case, said operations within twenty four hours from the time of the actual custody of the suspects or seizure of said drugs and substances, as well as paraphernalia and transport equipment used in illegal activities involving such drugs and/or substances, and shall regularly update the PDEA on the status of the cases involving the said anti– drug operations; Provided, furthermore, that raids, seizures, and other anti–drug operations conducted by the PNP, the NBI, and other law enforcement agencies prior to the approval of this IRR shall be valid and authorized; Provided, finally, that nothing in this IRR shall deprive the PNIP, the NBI, other law enforcement personnel and the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from effecting lawful arrests and seizures in consonance with the provisions of Section 5, Rule 113 of the Rules of Court.

b. Roles of the PNP, NBI, Bureau of Customs and Other Law Enforcement Agencies

The PDEA may enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the PNP, the NBI, the Bureau of Customs and other law enforcement agencies to carry out the implementation of the Act, provided that the respective MOAs shall include specific roles of enumerated agencies in the administrative and operational matters. Said MOAs shall be entered into by the PDEA and the respective agencies fifteen days after the implementation of this IRR.


ARTICLE X
APPROPRIATIONS, MANAGEMENT OF FUNDS AND ANNUAL REPORT


Section 87
Appropriations

The amount necessary for the operation of the Board and the PDEA shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the Board, the DEP Center, the Narcotics Group of the PNP, the Narcotics Divisions of the NBI and other drug abuse units of the different law enforcement agencies integrated into the PDEA in order to carry out the provisions of the Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of the Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

All receipts derived from fines, fees and other income authorized and imposed in the Act, including ten percent of all unclaimed and forfeited sweepstakes and lotto prizes but not less than Twelve million pesos (P12,000,000.00) per year from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes (PCSO), are hereby constituted as a special account in the general fund for the implementation of the Act: Provided, that no amount shall be disbursed to cover the operating expenses of the Board and other concerned agencies; Provided, further, that at least fifty percent of all the funds shall be reserved for assistance to government–owned and/or operated rehabilitation centers.

The fines shall be remitted to the Board by the court imposing such fines within thirty days from the finality of its decisions or orders. The unclaimed and forfeited prizes shall be turned over to the Board by the PCSO within thirty days after these are collected and declared forfeited.

 A portion of the funds generated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in the amount of Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) a month shall be set aside for the purpose of establishing adequate drug rehabilitation centers in the country and also for the maintenance and operations of such centers: Provided, that the said amount shall be taken from the fifty percent share of the National Government in the income of PAGCOR; Provided, further, that the said amount shall automatically be remitted by PAGCOR to the Board. The amount shall, in turn, be disbursed by the Board, subject to the rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit (COA).

The fund may be augmented by grants, donations, and endowments from various sources, domestic or foreign, for purposes related to their functions, subject to the existing guidelines set by the government.

a. o money shall be paid out of the National Treasury for the current operating and capital outlay requirement of the programs, projects and activities of the Board and the PDEA, including those funded from the Special Account in the General Fund (SAGF) constituted under Section 87 of the Act and the next succeeding Rule, except in pursuance of an express appropriation made by Congress in the annual General Appropriations Act. Until such time that such an express appropriation is made, the amounts necessary for the operation of the new DDB and PDEA shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the old DDB of the DOH, the DEP Center, the Narcotics Group of PNP, the Narcotics Divisions of the NBI and other drug enforcement units of the different law enforcement agencies integrated into the PDEA, subject to such guidelines as may be issued by DBM for the purpose.

b. The Bureau of Treasury (BTr) shall open a SAGF in favor of the Board to which shall be deposited the following:

(1)   Receipts derived from fines which shall be remitted by the court imposing such fines within thirty days from the finality of its decisions or orders;

(2)   Ten percent of all unclaimed and forfeited sweepstakes and lotto prizes, but in no case less than twelve million pesos (P12,000,000.00) per year, which shall be remitted by the PCSO within thirty days after these are collected and declared forfeited;

(3)   Proceeds from fees and other incomes authorized and imposed pursuant to the Act;

(4)   The Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) monthly share of the Board from fifty percent statutory share of the National Government in the income of the PAGCOR which shall automatically remit the same; and

(5)   Grants, donations and endowments from various sources, domestic or foreign, for purposes relative to their existing functions and subject to existing guidelines.

c. Release against the SAGF shall be governed by Section 35, Chapter 5, Book VI of E.O. No. 292 (The Administrative Code of 1987), the established programming considerations, and the observance of the following conditions specified by the Act:

(1)   At least fifty percent of the total receipts derived from fines, fees and other income authorized and imposed under the Act, including the ten percent of all unclaimed and forfeited sweepstakes and lotto prizes from PCSO, shall be reserved for assistance to drug treatment and rehabilitation centers owned and/or operated by the National Government and its political subdivisions and that no amount in the total of such receipts shall be disbursed to cover the operating expenses of the Board, the PDEA, and other concerned agencies; and

(2)   The Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) monthly share of the Board from the fifty percent statutory share of the National Government from the PAGCOR income shall be used exclusively for the establishment and maintenance of new drug treatment and rehabilitation centers in the country, as well as the operation and maintenance of existing ones.


Section 88
Management of Funds under the Act: Annual Report by the Board and the PDEA

a. Fund Management

The Board and the PDEA shall manage their respective funds, whether appropriated by Congress or coming from other sources, as each may deem proper for the attainment of the objectives of the Act, and respectively account for the same, subject to the observance of the terms and condition set in the annual observance of the terms and conditions set in the annual general appropriations act and pertinent budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

b. Annual Report

In addition to the periodic reports prescribed elsewhere in this IRR, the Chairperson of the Board shall submit to the President of the Philippines and to the presiding officers of the two chambers of Congress, within fifteen days from the opening of the regular session, an annual report on the dangerous drugs situation in the country which shall include detailed account of the programs and projects undertaken, statistics on crimes related to dangerous drugs, expenses incurred in pursuit of the mandate set under the Act, recommended remedial legislation, if needed, and such other relevant facts as it may deem proper to cite.


Section 89
Auditing the Accounts and Expenses of the Board and the PDEA

All accounts and expenses of the Board and the PDEA shall be audited by the COA or its duly authorized representative.


ARTICLE XI
JURISDICTION OVER DANGEROUS DRUGS CASES


Section 90
Jurisdiction

The Supreme Court shall designate special courts from among the existing Regional Trial Courts in each judicial region to exclusively try and hear cases involving violations of the Act. The number of courts designated in each judicial region shall be based on the population and the number of cases pending in their respective jurisdiction.

The DOJ, through its provincial/city prosecution offices, shall designate special prosecutors to exclusively handle cases involving violations of the Act.

The preliminary investigations of cases filed under the Act shall be terminated within a period of thirty days from the date of their filing.

When the preliminary investigation is conducted by a public prosecutor and a probable cause is established, the corresponding information shall be filed in court within twenty four hours from the termination of the investigation. If the preliminary investigation is conducted by a judge and a probable cause is found to exist, the corresponding information shall be filed by the proper prosecutor within forty eight hours from the date of receipt of the records of the case.

However, when the prosecutor disagrees with the findings of the Municipal Trial Court and he/she finds the need to conduct a formal reinvestigation of the case to clarify issues, or to afford either party the opportunity to be heard to avoid miscarriage of justice, the prosecutor has to terminate the reinvestigation within fifteen days from receipt of the records, and if probable cause exists, to file the corresponding information in court within forty–eight hours from termination of the reinvestigation.

Trial of the case under this Section shall be finished by the court not later than sixty days from the date of the filing of the information. Decision on said cases shall be rendered within a period of fifteen days from the date of submission of the case resolution.


Section 91
Responsibility and Liability of Law Enforcement Agencies and other Government Officials and Employees in Testifying as Prosecution Witnesses in Dangerous Drugs Cases

Any member of law enforcement agencies or any other government official and employee who, after due, notice, fails or refuses intentionally or negligently, to appear as a witness for the prosecution in any proceeding, involving violations of the Act, without any valid reason, shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than twelve year and one day to twenty years and a fine not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00), in addition to the administrative liability he/she may be meted out by his/her immediate superior and/or appropriate body.

The immediate superior of the member of the law enforcement agency or any other government employee mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be penalized with imprisonment of not less than two months and one day but not more than six years and a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) but not more than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) and in addition, perpetual absolute disqualification from public office if despite due notice to them and to the witness concerned, the former does not exert reasonable effort to present the latter to the court.

The member of the law enforcement agency or any other government employee mentioned in the preceding paragraphs shall not be transferred or re–assigned to any other government office located in another territorial jurisdiction during the pendency of the case in court. However, the concerned member of the law enforcement agency or government employees may be transferred or re–assigned for compelling reasons: Provided, that his/her immediate superior shall notify the court in writing where the case is pending of the order to transfer or re –assign, within twenty–four hours from its approval: Provided, further, that his/her immediate superior shall be penalized with imprisonment of not less than 2 months and one day but not more than six years and a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) but not more than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) and in addition, perpetual absolute disqualification from public office, should he/she fail to notify the court in writing of such order to transfer or re–assign.


Section 92
Delay and Bungling in the Prosecution of Drug Cases

Any government officer or employee tasked with the prosecution of drug–related cases under the Act, either as prosecutor, prosecution witness, or as law enforcement agent, who, though patent laxity, inexcusable neglect, unreasonable delay or deliberately causes the unsuccessful prosecution and/or dismissal of the said drug cases, shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment ranging from twelve years and one day to twenty years without prejudice to his/her prosecution under the pertinent provisions of the Revised Penal Code.


Section 93
Reclassification, Addition or Removal of any Drug from the List of Dangerous Drugs

The Board shall have the power to reclassify, add to or remove from the list of dangerous drugs. Proceedings to reclassify, add or remove a drug or other substances may be initiated by the PDEA, the DOH, or by petition form any interested party, including the manufacturer or a drug, a medical society or association, a pharmacy association, a public interest group concerned with a drug abuse, a national or local government agency, or an individual citizen. When a petition is received by the Board, it shall immediately begin its own investigation of the drug. The PDEA also may begin an investigation of a drug at any time based upon the information received from law enforcement laboratories, national and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies, or other sources of information.

The Board after notice and hearing shall consider the following factors with respect to each substance proposed to be reclassified, added or removed from control:

a. Its actual or relative potential for abuse;

b. Scientific evidence of its pharmacological effect if known;

c. The state of current scientific knowledge regarding the drug or other substance;

d.Its history and current pattern of abuse;

e. The scope, duration, and significance of abuse;

f.  Risk to public health; and

g. Whether the substance is an immediate precursor of a substance already controlled under the Act.

The Board shall also take into accord the obligations and commitments to international treaties, conventions and agreements to which the Philippines is a signatory.

The Dangerous Drugs Board shall give notice to the general public of the public hearing of the reclassification, addition to or removal from list of any drug by publishing such notice in any newspaper of general circulation once a week for two weeks.

The effect of such reclassification, addition or removal shall be as follows:

a. In case a dangerous drug is reclassified as precursor and essential chemical, the penalties for the violations of the Act pertaining to precursors and essential chemicals shall, in case of conviction, be imposed in all pending criminal prosecutions;

b. In case a precursor and essential chemical is reclassified as dangerous drug, the penalties for violations of the Act involving precursors and essential chemicals shall, in case of conviction, be imposed in all pending criminal prosecutions;

c. In case of the addition of a new drug to the list of dangerous drugs and precursors and essential chemicals, no criminal liability involving the same under the Act shall arise until after the lapse of fifteen days from the last publication of such notice;

d. In case of removal of a drug from the list of dangerous drugs and precursors and essential chemicals, all persons convicted and/or detained for the use and/or possession of such a drug shall be automatically released and all pending criminal prosecution involving such a drug under the Act shall forthwith be dismissed; and

e. The Board shall, within five days from the date of its promulgation, submit to Congress a detailed reclassification, addition, or removal of any drug from the list of dangerous drugs.


ARTICLE XII
FINAL PROVISIONS

 
Section 94
Congressional Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs (COCDD)

The COCDD created under Section 95 of the Act shall be composed of seven Members from the Senate and seven Members from the House of Representatives. The Member from the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President based on the proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least two Senators representing the Minority. The Members from the House of Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker, also based on the proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least two Members representing the Minority.

The COCDD shall be headed by the respective Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs and the House of Representatives Committee on Dangerous Drugs.


Section 95
Powers and Functions of the COCDD

The COCDD shall, in aid of legislation, perform the following functions, among others:

a. To set the guidelines and overall framework to monitor and ensure the proper implementation of the Act;

b. To ensure transparency and require the submission of reports from government agencies concerned on the conduct of programs, projects and policies relating to the implementation of the Act;

c. To approve the budget for the programs of the COCDD and all disbursements therefore, including compensation of all personnel;

d. To submit periodic reports to the President of the Philippines and Congress on the implementation of the provision of the Act;

e. To determine inherent weaknesses in the law and recommend the necessary remedial legislation or executive measures; and

f.  To perform such other duties, functions and responsibilities as may be necessary to effectively attain the objectives of the Act.


Section 96
Adoption of Committee Rules and Regulations, and Funding

The COCDD shall adopt its internal rules of procedure, conduct hearings and receive testimonies, reports and technical advice, invite or summon by subpoena ad testificandum any public official, private citizen, or any other person to testify before it, or require any person by subpoena duces tecum documents or other materials as it may require consistent with the provisions of the Act.

The COCDD shall be assisted by a Secretariat to be composed by personnel who may be seconded from the Senate and the House of Representatives and may retain consultants.

To carry out the power and functions of the COCDD, the initial sum of Twenty five million pesos (P25,000,000.00) shall be charged against the current appropriation of the Senate. Thereafter, such amount necessary for its continued operations shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The COCDD shall exist for a period of ten years from the effectivity of the Act and may be extended by a joint concurrent resolution.

Section 97
Limited Applicability of the Revised Penal Code

Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the provisions of the Revised Penal Code (Act No. 3814), as amended, shall not apply to the provisions of this IRR, except in the case of minor offenders. Where the offender is a minor, the penalty for acts punishable by life imprisonment to death provided herein shall be reclusion perpetua to death.


Section 98
Separability Clause

If for any reason any section or provision of this IRR, or any portion thereof, or the application of such Section, proviso or portion thereof to any person, group or circumstance is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of this IRR shall not be affected by such declaration and shall remain in force and effect.


Section 99
Repealing Clause

All memorandum circulars, resolutions, orders, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the Act or with this IRR are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.


Section 100
Implementing Details

The Board shall issue such additional implementing rules and regulations as may be necessary to further clarify any part of this IRR.


Section 101
Effectivity Clause

This IRR shall take effect upon its publication in three newspapers of general circulation and upon registration with the office of the National Administrative Register at the University of the Philippines Law Center, U.P. Diliman, Quezon City.

Done in the City of Quezon, this 30th day of August 2002


CORAZON JULIANO – SOLIMAN
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development
Ex–Offficio Member


ANGELO T. REYES
Secretary of National Defense
Ex–Offficio Member

  

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