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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No,__ 7885

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is the policy of the State to safeguard the integrity of its territory and the
well-being of its citizenry particularly the youth from the harmful effects of
dangerous drugs on their physical and mental well-being, and to defend the same
against acts or omission detrimental to their development and preservation.

With the enactment of Republic Act No. 9165, known as the Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) took
the lead in the fight against the country’s illegal drug menace. Since its enactment, the
‘Agency remains to be committed and unrelenting in its anti-illegal drug efforts which
resulted to significant accomplishments. In 2019 alone, the strong men and women of
PDEA have successfully seized and confiscated a total of Php 6.72 Billion worth of
illegal drugs nationwide.

Unfortunately, the unwavering campaign of the Agency has cost the lives and
limbs of some of its personnel. In the same year, Agents Baby Earl Clos and Von
Rian Tecson were both ambushed by a riding in tandem in Cebu; another five agents
were killed and two others were hurt when armed men ambushed them in Lanao del
Sur. Agent Enrico G. Barba was tortured and killed upon meeting up with a
Confidential Informant in Camarines Norte. The latest fatality was Agent Roland
Bastatas when a buy-bust operation resulted to an armed encounter in the province
of Zamboanga Sibugay.

The killing of these Agents depicts the perilous nature that each PDEA
personnel is facing. And these are just some of the many lives fallen in the line of duty.
Such exposure to hazardous working conditions necessitates that they be provided
with decent standards of living and working conditions, comprehensive health and
dental care program, modified compensation and benefits, and career opportunities.


‘The passage of this bill shall ensure that PDEA personnel are well provided
with the above-mentioned benefits to alleviate the consequences of the hazards they
face. It is timely that these personnel receive the same given that they face equal threat
with that of other law enforcement agencies.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

FERDINAND L. vine aa
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7885

House Bill No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ

AN ACT TO REINFORCE AND UPGRADE
THE PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO FURTHER
STRENGTHEN THE ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN OF THE GOVERNMENT,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 83
OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“COMPREHENSIVE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 2002”.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress assembled:

SEC. 1. Section 83 of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the "Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002", is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 83. Organization of the PDEA.

For purposes of carrying out its duties and powers, the PDEA shall have the
following Services, namely: Administrative and Human Resource; Compliance;
Financial Management; Forensic Laboratory; Logistics Management; Health; Internal
Affairs; Intelligence; International Cooperation and Foreign Affairs; Investigation;
Legal and Prosecution; Operations; Operational Support; Plans Policies and
Standards; Preventive Education and Community Involvement; Special Enforcement;
and, the subsequent service or office which may be created by subsequent laws.

PDEA officers and other personnel shall enjoy compensation based on the
Salary Standardization Law. Provided, that they shall receive the same benefits and
allowances as are now or hereafter may be authorized for corresponding salary
grades and ranks in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine
National Police (PNP).

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency shall provide its officers and
personnel decent standard of living and working conditions, career opportunities,
education benefits and comprehensive health packages through a health
maintenance organization (HMO). A PDEA personnel may opt to retire upon
reaching the age of 56, or after he has rendered at least 15 years of government


service, whichever comes first, and be paid retirement benefits in accordance with
the existing law.

‘The PDEA shall also establish and maintain regional offices in the different
regions and provincial/ district offices in the different provinces/cities of the country
which shall be responsible for the implementation of RA 9165, as amended, and the
policies, programs, and projects of said agency in their respective areas.

SEC.2, Implementing Rules and Regulations. - PDEA shall formulate and prepare the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act within ninety (90) days from approval of the
latter. The IRR shall be immediately published in any newspaper of general circulation or
through other meansthe PDEA deem sufficient in order to give general notice to the public and
shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication.

SEC. 3. Funding - All fees collected from the issuance of licenses and permits by the
Compliance Service including the fines imposed in relation thereto as well as service fees
collected by PDEA for the paymentof any obligation through authorized deductions shall accrue
to a Trust Fund in the name of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to be managed and
used by the Director General to carry out the provisions of this Act. These shall be deposited
with the National Treasury, tobe recorded in its books of accounts as trust receipts.

SEC. 4. Budgetary Requirements. — The PDEA Director General shall submit to the
Congress, thru the Department of Budget and Management, the annual budgetary
requirements to implement the provisions of this Act and subsequent IRR. In no case shall the
budgetary requirements of this Act for any given year be less than that of the previous year.

SEC. 5. Separability Clause. - Intheevent that, forany reason, any provision of this Act is
declared tobe unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which arenot
affected thereby shall continue to bein full force or effect.

SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - Alllaws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof
which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at
least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.