TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No.
25 JUL -7 All 50
Introduced by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
AN ACT
DEFINING LARGE-SCALE ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF DANGEROUS DRUGS, 
AND CONTROLLED PRECURSORS AND ESSENTIAL CHEMICALS, IMPOSING 
THE DEATH PENALTY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
9346 ENTITLED "THE ACT PROHIBITING THE IMPOSITION OF DEATH 
PENALTY IN THE PHILIPPINES" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The findings in the World Drug Report 2025 by the United Nations Office on 
Drugs and Crime released on June 26, 2025 is extremely disturbing.
According to the World Drug Report 2025, drug use reached historically high 
levels. In 2023 alone, 316 million people or more than 6% of the world's population 
aged 15 to 64 used illegal drugs. This is a staggering increase from 5.2% a decade 
ago. Of this number, 244 million used cannabis while opioid use has reached 61 
million. Amphetamines, cocaine, and ecstasy use all showed an alarming upward trend 
with 30.7 million, 25 million, and 21 million users, respectively. More troubling in the 
published report is the 34% surge of illegal production of cocaine or 3,708 tons in just 
one year.
In order to prevent not only the proliferation of illegal drugs and the chaos it 
brings to our communities, we must directly go after its source. While putting behind 
bars small time street drug pushers is a step forward in rehabilitating our nation, we 
must hunt down the syndicates that has enriched themselves by preying upon our 
poor people.


This proposed legislation classifies large-scale trafficking of illegal drugs as 
wicked and dangerous. It is the fuel that ignite the commission of other heinous 
crimes. This bill has become more than a campaign promise or a legal stand, but the 
realization of our commitment to those families left behind by the victims of crimes 
involving drugs. It is our continued declaration of war against drugs that has destroyed 
our country and have caused violence, and national insecurity.
This proposed measure seeks to reinstate the capital punishment of death for 
those who will be found guilty of large-scale trafficking of illegal drugs. We will not 
distinguish between domestic or foreign offenders. Anyone who is unwise enough to 
even think of entering into these unlawful acts of illegal drug trafficking or those who 
continue their brazen operations should face the consequences and feel the full weight 
of our law.
With harsher penalties and a renewed focus on dismantling criminal networks, 
this legislation aims to decisively reduce the drug supply and confront the regional 
surge in illicit trafficking before it spins entirely out of control. Let this bill serve as a 
reminder that we all live in borrowed time from our Creator and what little time we 
have must be lived fully in goodness towards each other.
In light of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
RONALD"BA
LA ROSA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
25
-7 All SO
SENATE
S. No. 199
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
AN ACT
DEFINING LARGE-SCALE ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF DANGEROUS DRUGS, 
AND CONTROLLED PRECURSORS AND ESSENTIAL CHEMICALS, IMPOSING 
THE DEATH PENALTY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
9346 ENTITLED "THE ACT PROHIBITING THE IMPOSITION OF DEATH 
PENALTY IN THE PHILIPPINES" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Death Penalty for Large-
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scale Illegal Drug Trafficking".
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to safeguard the
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integrity of its territory and the well-being of its citizenry from the harmful effects of
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dangerous drugs on their physical and mental well-being, and to defend the same
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against acts or omissions detrimental to their development and preservation.
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Toward this end, the State shall pursue an intensive and unrelenting campaign
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against the trafficking of dangerous drugs and other similar substances through the
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imposition of the capital punishment.
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Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term:
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(a) Culture refers to any act of knowingly planting, growing, raising, or
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permitting the planting, growing or raising of any plant which is the source
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of a dangerous drug;


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(b) 
Dangerous Drugs refers to those listed in the Schedules annexed to the
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1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as amended by the 1972
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Protocol, and in the Schedules annexed to the 1971 Single Convention on
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Psychotropic Substances as enumerated in the attached annex which is an
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integral part of Republic Act No. 9165, as amended;
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(c) 
Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals refers to those iisted in
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Tables I and II of the 1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
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Drugs and Psychotropic Substances as enumerated in the attached annex,
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which is an integral part of Republic Act No. 9165, as amended;
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(d) 
Deliver refers to any act of knowingly passing a dangerous drug to another,
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personally or otherwise, and by any means, with or without consideration;
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(e) 
Manufacture refers to the production, preparation, compounding or
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processing of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential
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chemical, either directly or indirectly or by extraction from substances of
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natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis or by a
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combination of extraction and chemical synthesis, and shall include any
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packaging or repackaging of such substances, design or configuration of its
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form, or labeling or relabeling of its container; except that such terms do
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not include the preparation, compounding, packaging or labeling of a drug
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or other substances by a duly authorized practitioner as an incident to
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his/her administration or dispensation of such drug or substance in the
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course of his/her professional practice including research, teaching and
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chemical analysis of dangerous drugs or such substances that are not
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intended for sale or for any other purpose;
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(f) 
5e//refers to any act of giving away any dangerous drug and/or controlled
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precursor and essential chemical whether for money or any other
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consideration; and
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(g) 
Trading refers to transactions involving the illegal trafficking of dangerous
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drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals using electronic
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devices such as, but not limited to, text messages, e- mail, mobile or
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landlines, two-way radios, internet, instant messengers and chat rooms or


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acting as a broker in any of such transactions whether for money or any
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other consideration in violation of this Act.
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Sec. 3. Large-Scale Illegal Trafficking. - Large-scale illegal trafficking is
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committed by any person who illegally cultivates, cultures, delivers, manufactures,
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sells, trades, transports, distributes, imports, exports and possesses any dangerous
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drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical involving quantity of not less
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than one kilo (Ikl) or more, unless authorized by law. Any person who commits large-
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scale illegal trafficking as defined herein shall suffer the penalty of death.
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Sec. 4. Cases where death penalty shall not be Imposed; Automatic Review of
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the Death Penalty Cases. - The death penalty shall not be imposed when the guilty
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person is below eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the commission of the crime
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or is more than seventy (70) years of age or when upon appeal or automatic review
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of the case by the Supreme Court, the required majority vote is not obtained for the
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imposition of the death penalty, in which cases the penalty shall be life imprisonment.
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In all cases where the death penalty is imposed by the trial court, the records
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shall be forwarded to the Supreme Court for automatic review and judgment by the
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Court en banc, within twenty (20) days but not earlier than fifteen (15) days after
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promulgation of the judgment or notice of denial of any motion for new trial or
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reconsideration. The transcript shall also be forwarded within ten (10) days from the
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filing thereof by the stenographic reporter.
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Sec. 5. Republic Act No. 8177 entitled. An Act Designating Death by Lethal
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Injection as the Method of Carrying Out Capital Punishment, Amending for the Purpose
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Article 81 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Section 24 of Republic Act No.
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7659", is hereby revived.
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Sec. 6. Implementing Rules. - The Department of Justice, in coordination with
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the Department of Health, Bureau of Corrections, the Philippine National Police and
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the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, shall within sixty (60) days from the
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effectivity of this Act, promulgate the rules to implement the provisions of this Act.
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Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect.
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 9346 and Republic Act No. 9165 
is hereby amended accordingly in so far as the prohibition of death penalty on crimes 
as specified herein.
Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, 
rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly.
Sec. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its 
complete publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,