Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has been tagged in numerous infamous cases of alleged 
murders and deaths labeled as collateral damage in the war against illegal drugs and other 
crimes. National and International media have fixed the spotlight on the police and their 
alleged abuses in these operations. 
This bill proposes the establishment of special police courts to be known as Police Law 
Enforcement Courts in all regional trial courts and the consequent creation of Appellate Police 
Law Enforcement Courts by amending Batas Pambansa Bilang 129 otherwise known as the 
Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980. 
The Police Law Enforcement Courts shall focus on all criminal and civil cases filed against 
active and non-active members of the PNP in the pursuit of their duties, as well as violations 
of PNP operational procedures and other police protocols. In light of this, the Supreme Court 
shall accordingly promulgate special rules of procedure for the transfer of cases to the new 
courts during the transition period and for the disposition of police cases. Members of the 
bench shall undergo proper training to competently hear these cases. 
This bill is a reaffirmation of our utmost responsibility to put the safety of our people, their lives 
and properties above everything else, for this democracy is only as strong as their faith and 
trust in its institutions. Thus also, giving a big responsibility to our police officers to do their 
duties rightfully. 
In view of the foregoing premises, the swift approval of this bill is humbly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
August 23, 2022
2:00 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING THE POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT COURTS, 
GRANTING THESE COURTS EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OVER 
VIOLATIONS OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PNP RULES OF 
ENGAGEMENT COMMITTED BY THE POLICE, AMENDING BATAS PAMBANSA 
BILANG 129, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE JUDICIARY 
REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980", APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOREAND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Police Court Act”. 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to value the dignity of 
every human person and guarantee full respect for human rights. To uphold this duty, 
the State shall prosecute rogue police elements through a special court that will 
provide the public fair, impartial and speedy disposition of complaints for violations of 
constitutional rights and PNP operational procedures and code of ethical standards 
committed by the members of the Philippine National Police free from the "Kabaro 
System." 
Section 3. Establishment of Police Law Enforcement Court ("Police Court") and 
Appellate Police Law Enforcement Court ("Appellate Police Court"). — The 
Supreme Court shall create a special court designated as the Police Law Enforcement 
Court ("Police Court"), among existing Regional Trial Courts which shall handle all civil 
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and criminal cases involving the abuse of authority whether in or off duty of the 
members of the Philippine National Police including civil and criminal cases arising out 
of the violation of a member of the Philippine National Police of its PNP operational 
procedures and other police protocols designed to protect the rights of the accused. 
The Supreme Court shall likewise designate an Appellate Police Court from 
among the divisions of the Court of Appeals that shall handle all appeals coming from 
the Police Courts and appeals over the decision/resolution of the National Police 
Commission in administrative cases. 
 
Section 4. Qualification and Training of Judges for the Police Law Enforcement 
Courts. — Sec. 15 of Batas Pambansa Big. 129, as amended, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows: 
(a) 
Qualifications. - No person shall be appointed a Regional Trial Judge or a 
Presiding Family Court OR A POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT COURT JUDGE, 
unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least thirty-five (35) years 
of age, and, for at least ten (10) years, has been engaged in the practice of law 
in the Philippines or has held a public office in the Philippines requiring the 
admission to the practice of law as an indispensable requisite. 
(b) 
Training of Family Court Judges, xxx 
(c) 
TRAINING OF POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT COURT ("POLICE COURT") 
JUDGES. - THE SUPREME COURT SHALL PROVIDE A PERIODIC AND 
CONTINUING PROGRAM FOR THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND THE COURT 
PERSONNEL OF THE POLICE COURTS ON POLICE PROTOCOLS, TACTICS 
AND RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND PNP OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES 
INCLUDING PHILIPPINE AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS TO 
CAPACITATE THE POLICE COURT TO UPHOLD THE DUTY OF THE STATE 
TO PROMOTE PEACE AND ORDER THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHILE 
PROTECTING THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS. 
 
Section 5. Jurisdiction of Police Law Enforcement Courts ("Police Courts"). — 
The Police Courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and decide the 
following cases: 


 
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1) 
All civil and criminal cases, including the revised penal code and special penal 
laws whether in or off duty filed against the members of the Philippine National 
Police; 
2) 
All civil and criminal cases including the revised penal code and special penal 
laws arising out of the violation of a member of the Philippine National Police of 
its rules of PNP Operational Procedure, rules of engagement and other police 
protocols; 
3) 
All complaints for violation of constitutional rights where one of the accused is a 
member of the Philippine National Police; 
4) 
Issuance of writ of habeas corpus where there is evidence that the victim is held 
under the custody of any of the members of the Philippine National Police. 
 
Section 6. Prosecutors to the Police Courts. — The Department of Justice shall 
assign Prosecutors to prosecute cases within the jurisdiction of the Police Courts. It 
shall provide for a mechanism to ensure the speedy resolution of preliminary 
investigations, within 30 days from the receipt of the complaint. 
 
Section 7. Assistance of Public Attorneys. — The Public Attorneys Office shall 
represent members of the Philippine National Police charged with violations 
cognizable before the police courts for acts directly connected to performance of their 
lawful duties as police officers, without need of evidence of indigency. PNP shall 
ensure adequate legal representation of its force by forging agreements for free legal 
service with the integrated bar of the Philippines and other reputable law organizations 
 
Section 8. Notice on Transfer/Re-assignment of Police Personnel. — In order to 
ensure continuous prosecution and trial of the case, upon filing of a civil or criminal 
case before a prosecutor for preliminary investigation or the Police Court for trial, the 
Chief of the PNP and the NAPOLCOM shall be informed in writing of a case filed 
against any member of the Philippine National Police. 
The PNP shall seek approval from the appropriate prosecutor or the Police Court 
to which the case is assigned of any transfer/reassignment of the accused police 
personnel subsequent to the filing of the complaint. The PNP shall ensure the 
attendance of its accused personnel in all hearings before the prosecutor and the 
Police Court. 


 
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Section 9. Jurisdiction of the Appellate Police Law Enforcement Courts 
("Appellate Police Courts"). — Appellate Police Courts shall have exclusive 
appellate jurisdiction to hear appeals over the following cases: 
1) 
Decisions/Resolutions of the Police Courts; 
2) 
Decisions/Resolutions of the National Police Commission in administrative cases 
over uniformed members of the Philippine National Police; 
3) 
Decisions/Resolutions of the of Civil Service Commission in administrative cases 
over non-uniformed employees of the Philippine National Police. 
 
Section 10. Appeals. — Decisions and orders of the Police Courts shall be appealed 
in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as appeals from the ordinary 
Regional Trial Courts. 
 
Section 11. Special Rules of Procedure. — The Supreme Court shall promulgate 
special rules of procedure for the transfer of cases to the new courts during the 
transition period and for the disposition of police cases with the aim of providing the 
public fair, impartial and speedy disposition of complaints. 
 
Section 12. Use of Income. — The Supreme Court shall be allowed to use ten 
percent (10%) of the income derived from filing and other court fees under Rule 141 
of the Rules of Court for research and other operating expenses including capital 
outlay. 
 
Section 13. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of 
this Act, including the creation of new courts as may be determined by the Supreme 
Court whenever the need for more Police Court and Appellate Police Courts so 
warrant, shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its 
enactment into law and thereafter. 
 
Section 14. Transitory Provision. — Pending the issuance of implementing rules 
and regulations, the Supreme Court shall designate from among existing branches of 
the Regional Trial Court at least one Police Court in each judicial region. 
 


 
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Section 15. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
Section 16. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect. 
 
Section 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of 
general circulation in the Philippines. 
 
Approved,