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119 OG No. 16, 2501 (April 17, 2023)
[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 6, April 03, 2023 ]
CREATING A SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO MAINTAIN PEACE AND ORDER, AND SUPPRESS THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY IN NEGROS ISLAND
WHEREAS, Section 5, Article II of the Constitution provides that the maintenance of peace and order, protection of life, liberty and property, and promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy;
WHEREAS, Section 2 of Executive Order No. 110 (s. 1999) provides that there shall be established a joint Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-Philippine National Police (PNP) system, which shall provide the mechanism, structure and procedures for the integrated assessment of security situations and for the integrated planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring of necessary measures aimed at enhancing the internal security of the State and its institutions;
WHEREAS, on 04 March 2023, several armed men shot to death Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo at his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, killing eight (8) other civilians and wounding seventeen (17) more;
WHEREAS, similar violent incidents have occurred in the past, and at present, threats to safety and security cut across different sectors and affect various stakeholders in Negros Island;
WHEREAS, there is a need to create a Special Task Force to prevent the spread and escalation of violence elsewhere in the Philippines, and to preserve peace and order in Negros Island, with due regard to the fundamental civil and political rights of the people;
WHEREAS, Section 6, Article XVI of the Constitution provides that the State shall establish and maintain one police force, which shall be national in scope and civilian in character, to be administered and controlled by the National Police Commission; and
WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President of the power of control over all Executive departments, bureaus and offices;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR., President of the Republic of the Philippines, by the virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:
Section 1. Special Task Force. The Special Task Force "DEGAMO" (Task Force) is hereby created to be composed of the following:
| Chairperson | : | Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government |
| Vice Chairpersons | : | Secretary, Department of Justice |
| Secretary, Department of National Defense | ||
| Task Force Commanders | : | Chief, PNP |
| Chief, AFP | ||
| Director, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) |
The Chief, Public Information Office of the PNP, shall serve as the Spokesperson of the Task Force.
The Task Force members may designate an alternate to represent their respective offices in their absence. Such alternate must be fully authorized to decide for and on behalf of the Task Force member.
Section 2. Powers and Functions of the Task Force. The task Force shall formulate and implement measure to prevent further violence and ensure peace and order in Negros Island. Towards this ends, the Task Force shall have the following powers and functions:
a. Coordinate and rationalize the efforts of concerned government agencies and instrumentalities to ensure a whole-of-government approach in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of violence in Negros Island;
b. Intensity campaign against private armed groups and loose firearms;
c. Prepare and submit to the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES), reports on the state of peace and order in Negros Island, as well as the Task Force's initiatives and recommendations relative thereto; and
d. Perform such other functions as may be directed by the President.
Section 3. Secretariat. The Task Force shall have a Secretariat to be composed of personnel from its member-agencies, which shall provide administrative, operational and technical assistance to the Task Force. The Secretariat shall be headed by the Deputy Chief, PNP for Operations.
Section 4. Support of Government Agencies. The Task Force may enlist the support and assistance of other government agencies and instrumentalities in the attainment of the objectives of this Order. Local Government Units are enjoined to render such necessary assistance to the task Force in the implementation of this Order.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development shall extend emergency relief assistance to the families of the victims.
The Department of Health shall provide psychological rehabilitation to affected individuals.
Section 5. National Task Groups. The Task Force shall be composed of the following National Task Groups (NTGs):
a. Intelligence. NTG Intelligence shall utilize the Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Committee (JAPIC) mechanism composed of AFP and PNP Intelligence community with NBI from the national, area-wide and regional levels;
b. Law Enforcement Operations. NTG Law Enforcement Operations shall utilize the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center (JPSCC) mechanism composed of AFP, PNP, NBI and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) from the national down to the regional levels. The DILG, together with the PNP, shall establish an Informer Rewards Program for the apprehension of suspects in the killing, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations;
c. Investigation and Legal. NTC Investigation and Legal shall be composed of: (i) PNP Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) "DEGAMO"; (ii) Police Regional Office 7 SITG "DEGAMO"; (iii) NBI; (iv) Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission; (v) Bureau of Immigration; (vi) Land Transportation Office; (vii) Anti-Money Laundering Council; (viii) Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines; (ix) PCG; (x) Bureau of Internal Revenue; and (xi) Cyber Crime Investigation and Coordinating Center-Department of Information and Communications Technology; and
d. Strategic Communications (StratCom) and Community Relations. NTG StratCom and Community Relations shall utilize the JPSCC mechanism composed of AFP, PNP, NBI and PCG from the national down to the regional levels.
Section 6. Operational Guidelines. Within twenty (20) days from the effectivity of this Order, the task Force shall issue the necessary Operational Guidelines to effectively implement this Order.
Section 7. Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (PAFV). The PAFV shall coordinate with the Task Force with the aim of enlisting the full support of all stakeholders. The PAFV shall report to the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and the OES on the developments on the ground.
Section 8. Separability. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.
Section 9. Repeal. Orders and issuances inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Section 10. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of April, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Three.
(SGD.) FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR
By the President:
(SGD.) LUCAS P. BERSAMIN
Executive Secretary