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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 138, October 21, 2002 ]

REORGANIZING THE CABINET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL SECURITY, AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 21 DATED JUNE 19, 2001 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, insurgency and organized crime pose a serious and direct threat to internal security;

WHEREAS, the National Internal Security Plan (NISP) prescribes a holistic approach in addressing these threats to internal security;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to ensure that all agencies of the Government perform their roles and responsibilities under the NISP;

WHEREAS, there is also a need to involve the Members of Congress in the Government’s response to the threats to internal security;

WHEREAS, under Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of the Administrative Code of 1987, the President has the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO , President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Reorganization. – The Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security (COC-IS) is hereby reorganized and shall be composed of the following:

a. President of the Republic of the Philippines as Chairperson;

b. Members of the Core Staff:

i. Executive Secretary;

ii. Secretary of National Defense;

iii. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government;

iv. Secretary of Foreign Affairs;

v. Presidential Chief of Staff;

vi. National Security Adviser;

vii. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process;

viii. Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns;

ix. Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs;

x. Presidential Adviser on Police Affairs;

xi. Presidential Consultant on Counter-Intelligence;

xii. Presidential Assistant on Mindanao and other Regional Presidential Assistants as needed;

c. Other Members of the Executive Committee; and

d. Leaders of Congress.

The Presidential Adviser on Strategic Concerns shall assist the President in overseeing the Core Staff.

Section 2. Functions. – The COC-IS shall perform the following functions:

a. Act as an advisory body to the President on matters affecting the internal security of the country; and

b. Coordinate and oversee the performance by the concerned agencies of the Government of their roles and responsibilities under the NISP.

The COC-IS shall meet upon the call of the President, with the Secretariat and its Director-General preparing the agenda.

Section 3. Executive Committee. – The COC-IS shall have an Executive Committee (EXCOM) composed of the following:

a. Executive Secretary as Chairperson;

b. Secretary of National Defense as Vice-Chairperson;

c. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government;

d. Secretary of Justice;

e. Secretary of Social Welfare and Development;

f. Presidential Adviser on Strategic Concerns

g. National Security Adviser;

h. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel;

i. Press Secretary;

j. Lead Convenor, National Anti-Poverty Commission; and

k. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

The EXCOM shall act on all matters requiring immediate attention and/or disposition and shall meet upon the call of the Executive Secretary. The EXCOM shall, when necessary, conduct dialogues with the Commission on Human Rights on issues or matters affecting or relative to internal security.

Section 4. Secretariat. –

a. The COC-IS Operations Center and the Situation Room personnel are hereby merged and shall form the Secretariat of the COC-IS, which shall serve as the latter’s staff organization. It shall be organized and built up as the President’s integrative institution for defense, police and foreign policy matters.

b. The Secretariat shall be headed by the Presidential Adviser on Strategic Concerns as Director-General.

c. The Secretariat shall have its operations center in Malacañang Palace.

d. All agencies of the Government dealing with internal security and crime shall provide the Secretariat with intelligence reports as required.

e. The Secretariat shall perform the following functions:

i. Vet the assessments of the military and police hierarchy on the problem of internal security and crime; and

ii. Monitor the implementation by the concerned agencies of their tasks in the holistic approach to counter insurgency under the NISP.

Section 5. Internal Security Committees. –

a. At the sub-national level, internal security committees (ISCs) may be organized by the COC-IS as deemed necessary based on the situation prevailing in a specific area which may consist of one or more regions, two or more provinces in the same region, or two or more provinces in different regions, and where the need for holistic government intervention is necessary.

b. At the local level, an ISC may be organized in each province, or chartered city by the COC-IS as deemed necessary. The governor of the province or the mayor of the chartered city where an ISC has been organized may organize ISCs in their respective component cities, municipalities and barangays as applicable and as deemed necessary. The chief executive of the local government unit shall, as a general rule, be its chairman who shall determine its composition.

c. The sub-national or local ISC so created may be dissolved when the COC-IS has determined that the threat to national security and/or public order in the area has ceased or when so ordered by the President.

Section 6. Functions and Responsibilities of Sub-National ISCs. The sub-national ISC shall:

a. Ensure that offices of departments and agencies at the sub-national level inform the COC-IS, through their respective central offices, of programs and projects with potential or significant internal security implications and see to it that these offices prioritize the initiation and implementation of programs and projects that address the root causes of internal security threats;

b. Coordinate with regional offices of departments and agencies and local government units and monitor the execution of their local components of the NISP;

c. Establish and maintain sub-national Area Coordination Centers as may be deemed necessary; and

d. Submit reports to the COC-IS as required.

Section 7. Functions and Responsibilities of Local ISCs. – The local ISC, in coordination with the local Peace and Order Council and the local Development Council, shall:

a. Provide direction in the planning of, and coordinate the internal security efforts in the area;

b. Execute the policies directed by the COC-IS in the implementation of the NISP;

c. Organize and supervise the operations of local Area Coordination Centers;

d. Make a periodic assessment of the prevailing situation and evaluate the effectiveness of the coordination and integration of internal security programs in place; and

e. Submit reports to the COC-IS, and the sub-national ISCs, as required.

Section 8. Functions of Local Area Coordination Centers. – The local Area Coordination Centers shall:

a. Serve as a point of contact between and among concerned government offices and agencies in the coordination and integration of internal security activities;

b. Provide a communication facility on a twenty-four (24) hour basis;

c. Undertake monitoring functions for the COC-IS and ISCs at the sub-national and local levels; and

d. Direct a timely, coordinated and integrated initial response to crisis situations.

Section 9. Transfer of Records, Property and Applicable Appropriations. – The records, property and applicable appropriations of the COC-IS Operations Center are hereby transferred to the COC-IS Secretariat.

Section 10. Funding. – The fund requirements of the sub-national Area Coordination Centers shall continue to be included in the budget of the Department of National Defense.

Section 11. Repeal . – Executive Order No. 21 dated June 19, 2001 is hereby modified. All orders, rules, regulations and issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 12. Effectivity. – This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon approval. £a⩊phi£

City of Manila, October 21, 2002

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(SGD.) ALBERTO G. ROMULO
Executive Secretary

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