BATAS PAMBANSA Blg. 179
An Act Further Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act Numbered Sixty-Four Hundred and Twenty-Five, Otherwise Known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes
Section 1. Subparagraph (1) of paragraph (e) and paragraphs (i) and (1) of Section 2 of Republic Act Numbered Sixty-four hundred and twenty-five, otherwise known as the Dangerous Act of 1972, are hereby amended to read as follows:
"(1) "Prohibited drug," which includes opium and its active components and derivatives, such as heroin and morphine; coca leaf and its derivatives, principally cocaine; alpha and beta eucaine; hallucinogenic drugs, such as mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and other substances producing similar effects; Indian hemp and its derivatives; all preparations made from any of the foregoing; and other drugs and chemical preparations, whether natural or synthetic, with the physiological effects of a narcotic or a hallucinogenic drug; or"
"(i) "Indian hemp" otherwise known as "Marijuana", embraces every kind, class, genus or specie of the plant cannabis sativa L., including cannabis americana, hashish, bhang, guaza, churrus and ganjab, and embraces every kind, class and character thereof, whether dried or fresh and flowering, flowering or fruiting tops or any parts or portions of the plant, seeds thereof, and all its geographic varieties, whether as a reefer, resin, extract, tincture or in any form whatsoever;"
"(l) "Opium" refers to the coagulated juice of the opium poppy (papaver somniferum) and embraces every kind, character and class of opium, whether crude or prepared; the ashes or refuse of the same; narcotic preparations thereof or therefrom; morphine or any alkaloid of opium; preparations in which opium, morphine or any alkaloid of opium enters as an ingredient; opium poppy; opium seeds; opium poppy straw; and leaves or wrappings of opium leaves, whether prepared for use or not;"
Section 2. Section 2 of the same Act is further amended by adding a new paragraph thereto to read as follows:
"(q) "Opium poppy" means any part of the plant of the species papaver somniferum L., including the seeds thereof."
Section 3. Section 8, Article II of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 8. Possession or Use of Prohibited Drugs. The penalty of imprisonment ranging from twelve years and one day to twenty years and a fine ranging from twelve thousand to twenty thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall possess or use any prohibited drug except Indian hemp in regard to which the next following paragraph shall apply.
"The penalty of imprisonment ranging from six years and one day to twelve years and a fine ranging from six thousand to twelve thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall possess or use Indian hemp."
Section 4. Section 9, Article II of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 9. Cultivation of Plants which are Sources of Prohibited Drugs. The penalty of imprisonment ranging from fourteen years and one day to life imprisonment and a fine ranging from fourteen thousand to thirty thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who shall plant, cultivate or culture on any medium Indian hemp, opium poppy (papaver somniferum) or any other plant which is or may hereafter be classified as dangerous drug or from which any dangerous drug may be manufactured or derived.
"The land or portions thereof and/or green-houses on which any of said plants is cultivated or cultured shall be confiscated and escheated to the State, unless the owner thereof can prove that he did not know of such cultivation or culture despite the exercise of due diligence on his part.
"If the land involved is part of the public domain, the maximum of the penalties herein provided shall be imposed upon the offender."
Section 5. Section 16, Article III of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 16. Possession or Use of Regulated Drugs. The penalty of imprisonment ranging from six years and one day to twelve years and a fine ranging from six thousand to twelve thousand pesos shall be imposed upon any person who shall possess or use any regulated drug without the corresponding license or prescription."
Section 6. Section 20, Article IV of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 20. Confiscation and Forfeiture of the Proceeds of Instruments of the Crime. Every penalty imposed for the unlawful importation, sale, administration, delivery, transportation or manufacture of dangerous drugs, the cultivation of plants which are sources of dangerous drugs and the possession of any opium pipe and other paraphernalia for dangerous drugs shall carry with it the confiscation and forfeiture, in favor of the Government, of all the proceeds of the crime including but not limited to money and other assets obtained thereby and the instruments or tools with which it was committed, unless they are the property of a third person not liable for the offense, but those which are not of lawful commerce shall be ordered destroyed without delay. Dangerous drugs and plant-sources of such drugs as well as the proceeds or instruments of the crime so confiscated and forfeited in favor of the Government shall be turned over to the Board for proper disposal without delay."
"Any apprehending or arresting officer who misappropriates or misapplies or fails to account for seized or confiscated dangerous drugs or plant-sources of dangerous drugs or proceeds or instruments of the crime as herein defined shall after conviction be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from eight years and one day to twelve years and a fine ranging from ten thousand to twenty thousand pesos in addition to absolute perpetual disqualification."
Section 7. Section 24, Article IV of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 24. Penalties for Government Officials and Employees and Officers and Members of Police Agencies and the Armed Forces. The maximum penalties provided for in Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 of Article II and Sections 14, 15, 16 and 19 of Article III shall be imposed if those found guilty of any of the said offenses are government officials, employees or officers including members of police agencies and the armed forces, in addition to absolute perpetual disqualification."
Section 8. Article IV of the same Act is hereby amended by adding a new section between Sections 24 and 25 to be numbered as Section 21-A, which shall read as follows:
"Sec. 24-A. Laboratory examination/test on apprehended users of dangerous drugs. Any person apprehended or arrested for violating the provisions of this Act shall, immediately upon his arrest/apprehension, be subjected to laboratory examinations/test, if the apprehending/arresting officer has reasonable ground to believe that the person arrested/apprehended, on account of physical signs or symptoms or other visible or outward manifestation, is under the influence of dangerous drugs, and if found to be positive of such drugs, the results of the laboratory examination/test shall be prima facie evidence that such person has used dangerous drugs. If found negative, the suspect shall immediately be released, unless there be other evidence indicative of such violation.
"For this purpose, the Dangerous Drugs Board shall establish, operate and maintain drug testing centers in each province and city in order to conduct the laboratory examinations/tests herein provided and appoint such technical and other personnel as may be necessary for the effective implementation of this provision."
Section 9. Section 25, Article IV of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 25. Records Required of Pharmacists, Physicians, Veterinarians or Dentists Dispensing or Prescribing Dangerous Drugs, and of Importers, Manufacturers, Wholesalers, Distributors, Dealers and Retailers of Dangerous Drugs.
"(a) Every pharmacist dealing in dangerous drugs shall maintain and keep an original record of sales, purchases, acquisitions and deliveries of dangerous drugs, indicating therein the license number and address of the pharmacists; the name, address and license of the manufacturer, importer or wholesaler from whom dangerous drugs have been purchased; the quantity and the name of the dangerous drugs so purchased or acquired; the date of acquisition or purchase; the name, address and class A residence certificate number of the buyer; the serial number of the prescription and the name of the doctor, dentist, veterinarian or practitioner issuing the same; the quantity and name of the dangerous drug so sold or delivered; and the date of sale or delivery.
"A certified true copy of such record covering a period of six calendar months, duly signed by the pharmacist or the owner of the drug store or pharmacy, shall be forwarded to the board within fifteen days following the last day of every June and December of each year, copy furnished the city or municipal health officer concerned.
"(b) A physician, dentist, veterinarian or practitioner authorized to prescribe any dangerous drug shall issue the prescription therefor in one original and two duplicate copies. The original, after the prescription has been filled, shall be retained by the pharmacist for a period of one year from the date of sale or delivery of such drug. One copy shall be retained by the buyer or by the person to whom the drug is delivered until such drug is consumed, while the second copy shall be retained by the person issuing the prescription.
"For purposes of this Act, all prescriptions issued by physicians, dentists, veterinarians or practitioners shall be made out on forms exclusively issued by and obtained from the Board. Such forms shall be made of a special kind of paper and shall be distributed in such quantities and contain such information and other data as the Board may, by rules and regulations, require. Such forms shall not be issued by the Board or any of its employees except to licensed physicians, dentists, veterinarians and practitioners in such quantities as the Board may authorize. In such emergency cases, however, as the Board may specify in the public interest, prescriptions need not be accomplished on such forms. The prescribing physician, dentist, veterinarian or practitioner shall, within three days after issuing such prescription, inform the Board of the same in writing. No prescription once issued may be refilled.
"(c) All manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, importers, dealers and retailers of dangerous shall keep a record of all sales, purchases, acquisitions and deliveries of dangerous drugs, the names, addresses and licenses of the persons from whom the dangerous drugs were purchased or acquired or to whom the drugs were sold or delivered, the name and quantity of the drugs and the date of the transaction."
Section 10. The second paragraph of Section 28, Article V of the same Act is hereby repealed.
Section 11. Section 30, Article VI of the same Act is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 30. Voluntary Submission of a Drug Dependent to Confinement, Treatment and Rehabilitation by the Dependent Himself or Through His Parent, Guardian or Relative. If a drug dependent voluntarily submits himself for confinement, treatment and rehabilitation in a center and complies with such conditions therefor as the Board may by rules and regulations prescribe, he shall not be criminally liable for any violation of Section 8, Article II and Section 16, Article III of this Act.
"The above exemption shall be extended to a minor who may be committed for treatment and rehabilitation in a center upon sworn petition of his parent, guardian or relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, or of the Minister of Health or the Minister of Social Services and Development, in that order. Such petition may be filed with the regional trial court of the province or city where the minor resides and shall set forth therein his name and address and the facts relating to his dependency. The court shall set the petition for hearing and give the drug dependent concerned an opportunity to be heard. If, after such hearing, the facts so warrant in its judgment, the court shall order the drug dependent to be examined by two physicians accredited by the Board. If both physicians conclude, after examination, that the minor is not a drug dependent, the court shall enter an order discharging him. If either physician finds him to be a dependent, the court shall conduct a hearing and consider all relevant evidence which may be offered. If the court makes a finding of drug dependency, it shall issue an order for his commitment to a center designated by the court for treatment and rehabilitation under the supervision of the Board.
"Upon certification of the center that he may be temporarily discharged from the center, the court shall order his release therefrom on condition that he shall report to the Board for after-care and follow-up treatment for a period not exceeding eighteen months under such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the Board. If at any time during the after-care and follow-up period the Board certifies to his complete rehabilitation, the court shall enter an order of final discharge. Should the Board find at any time during the after-care and follow-up period that he requires further treatment and rehabilitation in the center, it shall make a report to this effect to the court which shall thereupon order his recommitment to the center.
"Should the drug dependent having voluntarily submitted himself for confinement, treatment and rehabilitation in, or having been committed to a center upon petition of the proper party, escape therefrom, he may resubmit himself for confinement within one week from the date of his escape, or his parent, guardian or relative may, within the same period, surrender him for recommitment. If, however, the drug dependent does not resubmit himself for confinement or he is not surrendered for recommitment, as the case may be, the Board may apply with the court for the issuance of a recommitment order. Upon proof of previous commitment or of his voluntary submission to confinement, treatment and rehabilitation, the court shall issue an order for recommitment. If, subsequent to such recommitment, he should escape again, he shall no longer be exempt from criminal liability for use or possession of any dangerous drugs.
"The judicial and medical records pertaining to any drug dependent’s confinement or commitment under this Section shall be confidential and shall not be used against him for any purpose except to determine how many times he shall have voluntarily submitted himself to confinement, treatment and rehabilitation or been committed to a center."
Section 12. Section 32, Article VI of the same Act is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 31. Compulsory Submission of a Drug Dependent to Treatment and Rehabilitation. If a person charged with an offense is found by the fiscal or by the court, at any stage of the proceedings, to be a drug dependent, the fiscal or the court, as the case may be, shall suspend all further proceedings and transmit copies of the record of the case to the Board.
"In the event the Board determines, after medical examination, that public interest requires that such drug dependent be committed to a center for treatment and rehabilitation, it shall file a petition for his commitment with the regional trial court of the province or city were he is being investigated or tried: Provided, That where a criminal case is pending in court, such petition shall be filed in the said court. The court shall take judicial notice of the prior proceedings in the case and shall proceed to hear the petition. If the court finds him to be a drug dependent, it shall order his commitment to a center for treatment and rehabilitation. The head of said center shall submit to the court every four months, or as often as the court may require, a written report on the progress of the treatment. If the dependent is rehabilitated, as certified by the center and the Board, he shall be returned to the court which committed him, for his discharge therefrom.
"Thereafter, his prosecution for any offense punishable by law shall be instituted or shall continue, as the case may be. In case of conviction, the judgment shall, if the accused is certified by the treatment and rehabilitation center to have maintained good behavior, indicate that he shall be given full credit for the period he was confined in the center: Provided, however, That when the offense is for violation of Section 8 or Section 16 of this Act and the accused is not a recidivist, the penalty thereof shall be deemed to have been served in the center upon his release therefrom after certification by the center and the Board that he is rehabilitated.
"The period of prescription of the offense charged shall not run during the time that the respondent or the accused is under detention or confinement in a center."
Section 13. Section 32, Article VI of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 32. Suspension of Sentence for First Offense of a Minor. If an accused under eighteen years of age at the time of the commission of the offense but not more than twenty-one years at the time when judgment should have been promulgated, who is found guilty of violating Section 8, Article II and Section 16, Article III of this Act has not been previously convicted of violating any provision of this Act or of the Revised Penal Code or placed on probation as herein provided, the court may defer sentence and place him on probation under the supervision of the Board or its agents and under such conditions as the court may impose for a period ranging from six months to one year. If the accused violates any of the conditions of his probation, the court shall pronounce judgment of conviction and he shall serve sentence as in any other criminal case. If, however, he does not violate any condition of his probation, then upon the expiration of the designated period, the court shall discharge him and dismiss the proceedings.
"If the court finds that such accused is a drug dependent, it shall commit him to a center for treatment and rehabilitation under the supervision of the Board. Upon certification by the center that he may be temporarily discharged from the center, the court shall order his release therefrom on condition that he shall report to the Board for after-care and follow-up for a period not exceeding eighteen months under such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the Board. If at any time during the after-care and follow-up period the Board certifies to his complete rehabilitation, the court shall enter an order discharging him. Should the Board find at any time during the after-care and follow-up that he requires further treatment and rehabilitation in the center, it shall make a report to this effect to the court which shall thereupon order his recommitment to the center.
"A confidential record of the proceedings shall be kept by the Ministry of Justice and shall not be used for any other purpose than as a basis for determining whether or not a person accused under the provisions of this Act is a first offender.
"Upon completion of the period of after-care and follow-up, the court shall enter an order to expunge all official records (other than the confidential record to be retained by the Ministry of Justice) relating to his case. Such an order, which shall be kept confidential shall restore the accused to his status prior to the case. He shall not be held thereafter, under any provision of law, to be guilty of perjury or of concealment or misrepresentation by reason of his failure to acknowledge the case or recite any fact related thereto in response to any inquiry made of him for any purpose.
"In the case of minors under sixteen years of age at the time of the commission of any offense penalized under this Act, the provisions of Article 80 of the Revised Penal Code shall apply, without prejudice to the application of the provisions of this Section.
"Should the parents or guardian refuse to cooperate with the Board, or in any manner, prevent or delay the after-care and follow-up of the child or ward, as the case may be, they may be cited for contempt of court."
Section 14. Section 35, Article VIII of the same Act is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 35. Creation and Composition of the Board. There is hereby created a Dangerous Drugs Board which shall be composed of seven ex officio members, as follows:
(a) the Minister of Health or his representative;
(b) the Minister of Justice or his representative;
(c) the Minister of National Defense or his representative;
(d) the Minister of Education and Culture or his representative;
(e) the Minister of Finance or his representative;
(f) the Minister of Social Services and Development or his representative;
(g) the Minister of Local Government or his representative.
"The Minister of Health shall be the Chairman of the Board.
"The Director of the National Bureau of Investigation shall be the permanent consultant of the Board.1âwphi1
"The Chairman and all members of the Board and the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation shall receive a per diem of two hundred fifty pesos and the Board secretary a per diem of one hundred fifty pesos for their attendance at every meeting of the Board: Provided, That where the representative of an ex-officio member or the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation attends a meeting in behalf of the latter, such representative shall be entitled to receive the per diem.
"The Board shall meet at the call of the chairman or of any two other members. The presence of four members shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of the chairman, a temporary presiding officer may be designated by the majority of the quorum.
"The Board may constitute an executive committee, to be composed of any three members or their representatives or of any three ranking personnel of the Board, which shall have the duty of carrying into effect the policies and decisions of the Board and shall meet as often as necessary, at the discretion of its chairman to be designated by the Board.
"When public interest so requires, the executive committee may act for and in behalf of the Board, and its decision, if approved by the Minister of Health, shall be valid, unless revoked by the Board at its next regular or special meeting.
"The Board shall recommend to the President the appointment of an executive director who shall be the administrative officer of the Board and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by it. The executive director shall possess adequate training and experience in the field of dangerous drugs, or in law, medicine, criminology, psychology or social work. He shall receive a salary consistent with the rate of compensation attached to his position as a Career Executive Service Officer, (CESO II)."
Section 15. Paragraphs (1) and (o) of Section 36, Article VIII of the same Act are hereby further amended to read as follows:
"(1) Authorize, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, the importation, distribution, manufacture, production, compounding, prescription, dispensing and sale of, and other lawful acts in connection with, dangerous drugs of such kind and quantity as it may deem necessary according to the medical and research needs of the country; and to determine the quantity/quantities to be imported, manufactured and held in stock at any given time by an authorized importer, manufacturer, distributor of dangerous drugs.
"Every person or drug establishment authorized to import, distribute, manufacture, produce, compound, prescribe, dispense, and sell dangerous drugs shall register annually with the Board and pay such fees as the Board may by rules and regulations impose in respect to the registration and control of the importation, distribution, manufacture, production, compounding, prescription, dispensing and sale of dangerous drugs.
"The Chairman of the Board shall, without prejudice to criminal proceedings, order the closure of a drug establishment or the suspension or revocation of its authority to deal in dangerous drugs when, after investigation, it is found guilty of violating the provisions of this Act.
"The additional penalty of revocation of his license to practice shall be recommended in the case of a practitioner who is owner, co-owner, lessee, or in the employ of the drug establishment, or who is a member, partner, president, director, or manager of a partnership, corporation, association, or any judicial entity owning and/or controlling the drug establishment, and who knowingly participates in, or consents to, tolerates, or abets, the commission of the violation.
"The authority vested in the Food and Drug Administration under Presidential Decree No. 280 to order the closure, or suspension or revocation of the license and permit, of the drug establishment dealing in dangerous drugs for violation of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, is hereby revoked."
"(o) Provide, by rules and regulations, appropriate rewards to informers who are instrumental in the discovery and seizure of dangerous drugs and in the apprehension of violators of this Act, except marijuana plantations."
Section 16. A new paragraph (q) shall be added to Section 36, Article VIII of the same Act, to read as follows:
"(q) Enter into arrangements with foreign agencies and instrumentalities for the effective prevention and control of drug dependency or abuse and the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act."
Section 17. The provisions of any law to the contrary notwithstanding, when a crime is committed by an offender who is under the influence of dangerous drugs, such state shall be considered as a qualifying aggravating circumstance in the definition of a crime and the application of the penalty provided for in the Revised Penal Code.
Section 18. The sum of fifteen million pesos is hereby provided initially out of the Special Activities Fund appropriated in Batas Pambansa Blg. 131 to carry out the provisions of this Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act shall be provided for in subsequent annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 19. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.£á⩊phi£
Section 20. Should any provision or provisions of this Act be declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless remain enforceable.
Section 21. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: March 2, 1982
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