MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 15, March 06, 2017 ]
CREATION OF AN INTER-AGENCY COMMITTEE ON ANTI- ILLEGAL DRUGS (ICAD) AND ANTI-ILLEGAL DRUG TASK FORCE TO SUPPRESS THE DRUG PROBLEM IN THE COUNTRY
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State to pursue an effective campaign against the trafficking and use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances through an integrated system of planning, implementation and enforcement of anti-illegal drug abuse policies, programs, and projects;
WHEREAS, it is the priority thrust of the government to suppress the drug problem in the country by putting behind bars manufacturers, traffickers and peddlers of illegal drugs and by transforming drug users into productive members of society thru, among others, balanced and integrated approaches of supply and demand reduction strategies under the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program, pursuant to Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 2 (s. 2007), and other related issuances;
WHEREAS, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) was established under Republic Act (RA) No. 9165, otherwise known as "The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002," as the policy-making and strategy-formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control;
WHEREAS, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was created pursuant to RA No. 9165, to be responsible for the efficient and effective law enforcement of all the provisions on any dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals, including the implementation of the national drug control strategy formulated by the DDB;
WHEREAS, the PDEA is mandated by law to 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 nongovernmental organizations, including the citizenry, subject to the provisions of previously formulated programs of action against dangerous drugs;
WHEREAS, the PDEA is mandated to initiate and undertake a national campaign for drug prevention and drug control programs, where it may enlist the assistance of any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government in the anti-illegal drugs drive;
WHEREAS, the drug problem continues to destroy the moral fiber of society, undermining the rule of law and threatening the development of the country;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:
Section 1. Creation of an Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs - The Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) is hereby created, to be composed of the following:
Chairperson:
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
Members:
Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB)
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Department of Health (DOH)
Department of Education (DepEd)
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Department of Agriculture (DA)
Department of National Defense (DND)
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Public Attorney's Office (PAO)
Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
Philippine National Police (PNP)
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
Bureau of Customs (BOC)
Bureau of Immigration (BI)
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)
The PDEA, as Chairperson of the ICAD, shall have the overall responsibility to ensure that the objectives of the ICAD and the clusters herein created are accomplished.
The member agencies shall designate a permanent representative to the ICAD with the rank of Undersecretary or Assistant Secretary, or their equivalent.
The ICAD may invite other government agencies and instrumentalities to be a member of the ICAD as it may deem necessary.
Section 2. Functions of the ICAD - The ICAD shall ensure that each member agency shall implement and comply with all policies, laws and issuances pertaining to the government's anti-illegal drug campaign, in an integrated and synchronized manner. It shall have the following specific functions:
a. Ensure the effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to the street-level peddlers and users;
b. Spearhead and coordinate the implementation of the National Anti-Drug Plan of Action (NADPA) 2015-2020;
c. Ensure comprehensive implementation of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program;
d. Ensure intensive conduct of advocacy campaign initiatives;
e. Ensure that the roles and responsibilities of the member agencies are efficiently and effectively carried out;
f. Cleanse the bureaucracy of unscrupulous personnel involved in illegal drug activities; and
g. Ensure that the anti-illegal drug objectives of the government are achieved.
The ICAD shall enlist the assistance of concerned public and private agencies, including local government units to assist in the implementation of the government's anti-illegal drug campaign.
The ICAD shall also seek the assistance of the Office of the Ombudsman, pursuant to its mandate, in the investigation and prosecution of public officials involved in illegal drug activities.
Section 3. Clusters of the ICAD - Upon effectivity of this Order, the ICAD shall convene and organize itself into the following clusters, with their respective functions as specified below:
a. Enforcement Cluster - The Enforcement Cluster shall conduct anti-illegal drug operations with the support of other law enforcement agencies through the PDEA and the National Anti-Drug Task Force as provided in Section 4 hereunder, including the conduct of investigations against drug syndicates, financiers and other target personalities;
The PDEA and the Task Force may seek the assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime and all other agencies, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, in the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations. When called upon by the ICAD Chairperson for assistance, the concerned agency shall provide the required personnel and other resources to ensure the accomplishment of the objectives of this Order and the success of the anti- illegal drug drive of the government.
b. Justice Cluster - The Justice Cluster shall be primarily responsible for the expeditious prosecution of all drug cases, the provision of legal assistance to law enforcers, and ensuring the availability of public attorneys for the protection of individuals' rights, such as in instances of voluntary surrenders and warrantless arrests during anti-illegal drug operations;
c. Advocacy Cluster - The Advocacy Cluster shall conduct a nationwide advocacy campaign for the government's anti-illegal drug policy and all implementing programs; and
d. Rehabilitation and Reintegration Cluster - This Cluster shall implement drug rehabilitation programs and ensure the reintegration of former drug dependents and other drug personalities as useful members of society.
The ICAD may form additional clusters or consolidate existing ones, as it may deem necessary for the effective implementation of this Order.
In accordance with the mandate of the DDB under RA No. 9165 as the policy- making and strategy-formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control, the DDB shall be included as a member of all the clusters of the ICAD.
Section 4. National Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force - The ICAD Chairperson shall establish and activate a National Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force which shall undertake sustained anti-illegal drug operations. All anti-drug operations of the Task Force will be closely coordinated with PDEA. The Task Force shall be composed of members of law enforcement agencies, including members of the institutions called upon for assistance by virtue of this Order. The President shall designate the National Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force head/commander, who shall be a senior law enforcement officer and shall report directly to the PDEA Director General. The Task Force Commander shall be responsible for the overall operation of the Task Force.
Section 5. Reporting, Monitoring and Coordinating Instructions - In order to properly monitor the progress of work of the ICAD, the PDEA shall conduct a regular conference with the members of the ICAD to monitor and evaluate each Cluster's performance and accomplishments.
All members of the ICAD shall each submit a periodic report to their respective Cluster Heads. The Cluster Heads shall submit a consolidated cluster report to the ICAD Chairperson, copy furnished the DDB. The ICAD Chairperson shall then consolidate all the reports for submission to the Office of the President.
Section 6. Funding - The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Order shall be sourced from available funds of the members of the ICAD and other appropriate funding sources, subject to existing budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations.ℒαwρhi৷
The Department of Budget and Management is directed to coordinate with the ICAD to facilitate and expedite the release of the necessary funding needed for the implementation of this Order.
Section 7. Separability Clause - Should any part or provision of this Order be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or provisions hereof shall not be affected and shall continue to be in full force and effect.
Section 8. Repealing Clause. All orders, rules and regulations, issuances or any part thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
Section 9. Effectivity - This Order shall take effect upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
DONE, in the City of Manila, this 6th day of March in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seventeen.
(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
By the President:
(SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA
Executive Secretary
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