SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF TIlE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
~t 
i:" 
,::® !? I'll!. t t' 
{*'fhrr iff til" ~;f''' th,rl! 
'13 
JUL -1 
jiB n 
, 
·.gV'-r 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In the country's continued crusade against dangerous drugs, RA 9165 or 
the Dangerous brugs Act of 2002 was enacted, Article XI of which provides for 
designation of special courts from among the existing Regional Trial Courts in 
each judicial region to exclusively try and hear cases involving violations of the 
Act. 
Since the effectivity of the Act, the number of Dangerous Drugs cases 
filed, and prosecutions for violations of its provisions have been steadily on the 
rise, clogging the dockets of these specially designated Regional Triai Courts. A 
number of these cases have remained pending for a long time. The speedy 
administration of justice has been greatly prejudiced, impairing not only the 
resolution of these Dangerous Drugs cases, but other equally important cases 
. and matters pending in the specially designated Regional Trial Courts. 
There is now therefore an imperative need to create Special Collegiate 
. Dangerous Drugs Courts to sit in each geographical region of the Philippines. 
'. This bill is intended to create such Courts. These Special Collegiate Dangerous 
Drugs Courts shall have exclusive and original jurisdiction to try and hear 
violations of RA 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act. 
It: is hoped that 1 he creation of these Special Collegiate Drugs Courts will 
not only help ease and unclog the dockets of the courts but more importantly, 
give more teeth to the continued fight against the menace of dangerous drugs 
plaguing the country. 
,I; ~ ,(, 
{;v\~,aLV; 
ENTE C\ S~TTO III 
.. / 


· SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. i 
c· 
.:'i:llenHh' 
ft}H-;,' l'! Ii,:, ~""n',hIfU 
IUL .-; 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III 
AN ACT CREATING A SPECIAL COURT TO BE KNOWN AS THE 
"DANGEROUS DRUGS COURT" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 
1. Court; Justices; Qualifications; Salary; Tenure - There is hereby 
created a Dangerous Drugs Court (DDC) which shall be of the same level as the 
Sandiganbayan and the Court of Appeal, possessing all the inherent powers of 
a Court of Justice, and shall consist of Eighteen (18) Executive ,Justices each 
for NCR, Region I, Region II, Region III, Region IV-A, Region IV-B, Region V, 
Region VI, Region VII, Region VIII, Region IX, Region X, Region XI, Region XII, 
Region XIII, CAR and ARMM, respectively, and 402 Associate Justices. The 
President of the Philippines shall have the power to appoint the Executive 
Justices and the Associate Justices The Executive Justices shall be so 
designated in his appointment, and the Associate Justices shall have 
precedence according to the date of their respective appointments, or when the 
appointments of two (2) or more of them shall bear the same date, according to 
the order in which their appointments were issued by the President. They shall 
have the same qualifications, rank, category, salary, emoluments and other 
privileges, be subject to the same inhibitions and disqualifications, and enjoy 
the same retirements and other benefits as those provided for under existing 
laws for Associate ,Justices of the Court of Appeals, 
Whenever the salaries of the Presiding Justice and the Associate Justices of the 
Court of Appeals are increased, such increases in salaries shall be d,·emed 
correspondingly extended to and enjoyed by the Executive ,Justices and 
Associate Justic.es of the DDC. 
The Executive Justices and Associate Justices shall hold office during good 
behavior, until they reach the age of seventy (70), or become incapacitated to 
discharge the duties of their office, unless sooner removed for the same causes 


and in the same manner provided by law for members of the judiciary of 
equivalent rank. 
Section 
2. Divisions -
The Dangerous Drugs Court shall exercise its 
powers, functions, and duties, through ONE HUNDRED FORTY (140) divisions, 
each division composed of three (3) Justices. The divisions shall have their 
respective seats for Dangerous Drugs Cases coming from the following Regions: 
NCR: Two (2) divisions each for the Local Government Units of 
Caloocan City, Las Pinas City, Makati City, Malabon City, 
Mandaluyong City, Manila, Marikina City, Muntinlupa City, 
Navotas City, Paraiiaque City, Pasay City, Pasig City, Pateros, 
Quezon City, San Juan City, Taguig City, Valenzuela City; 
Region I: One (1) Division each for each for the Local Government 
Units of Dagupan City, I1ocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, 
Pangasinan; 
Region II: One (1) Division each the Local Government Units of 
Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Santiago City; 
Region III: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva ECija, Olongapo 
City, Pam pang a, Tarlac, Zambales; 
Region IV-A: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units 
of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Lucena City, Quezon, Rizal; 
Region IV-B: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units 
of Marinduque, Occidental, Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, 
Puerto Princesa City, Romblon; 
Region V: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Albay, Cainarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, 
Naga City, Sorsogon; 
Region VI: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Aldan, Antique, Bacolod City, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Iloilo CitYl 
Negros Occidental; 
Region VII: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Bohol, Cebu Province, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Negros 
Oriental, Siquijor; 
Two (2) divisions .for Cebu City; 
Region VIII: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units 
of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Ormoc City, 
Samar, Southern Leyte, Tacloban City; 
Region IX: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
lsabela City, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga 
del Sur, Zamboanga SibUgay; 


Region X: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Bukidnon, Camiguin, lligan City, Lanao del Norte, Misamis 
Occidental, Misamis Oriental; 
Two (2) Divisions for Cagayan de Oro City; 
Region XI: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao 
Oriental; 
Two (2) Divisions for Davao City; 
Region XII: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Cotabato, Cotabato City, General Santos City, Sarangani, South 
Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat; 
Region XIII: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units 
of Agusan del Norte,· Agusan del Sur, Butuan City, Dinagat 
Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur; 
CAR: One (1) Division each for the Local Government Units of 
Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain 
Province; ARMM: One (1) Division each for the Local Government 
Units of Basilan (excluding Isabela City), 
Lanao del Sur, 
Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi; 
Section 
3. Quorum; Vacancy; Decisions/Resolutions - Three Justices shall 
constitute a quorum for sessions in the divisions: Provided, That when the 
required quorum for a particular division cannot be had due to the legal 
disqualification or temporary disability of a Justice or of a vacancy occurring 
therein, the Executive Justice of the Region where the affected division belongs 
may designate any Associate Justice of the Dangerous Drugs Court, to be 
determined by strict rotation on the basis of the reverse order of precedence, to 
sit as a special member of said affected division with all the rights and 
prerogatives of a regular member of said division in the trial and determination 
of a case or cases assigned thereto. 
The concurrence of two (2) Justices of a division shall be necessary for the 
pronouncement of a decision or final resolution for cases or matter heard by 
the division, which shall be reached in consultation before the writing of the 
opinion by any concurring member of the division. 
Section 
4. Jurisdiction - The Dangerous Drugs Court (DDC) shall exercise 
original jurisdiction on all cases involving: 
a. All violations of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as "The 
Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002" ("The Act"), including 
violations of the Act made by minors. Minor offenders of the Act shall be 
prosecuted in accordance with the Act, existing laws and Supreme Court 
rules. 
b. All violations of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as "The 
Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002" ("The Act") made by a 


Public Off1cer whether he be the principal accused, an accomplice or 
merely an accessory. All cases in the Sandiganbayan with respect to 
public officials violating the Act must now be transferred to the 
Appropriate DDC. If the Public Officer violated the provisions of the Act 
while also violating other laws such as Republic Act No. 3019, as 
amended otherwise known as the Anti-Graft Corrupt Practices Act, 
Republic Act No. 1379, and Chapter II, Section 2, Title VII of the Revised 
Penal Code, the DDC shall still have jurisdiction to prosecute him under 
those other laws, provided it will not violate his right against Double 
Jeopardy under the Constitution. 
A "public officer" shall mean any person; holding any public office in the 
Government of the Republic of the Philippines whether by virtue of an 
appointm.ent, election or contract. 
"Government" includes the National Government, and any of its 
subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, including government-owned 
or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries. 
c. The DDC shall have primary jurisdiction over the search and seizure of 
any object or person to be done by appropriate law enforcement agencies 
with respect to violations of the Act. Each ,Justice of a DDC division shall 
have the power to issue search warrants and warrants of arrest primarily 
for violations of the Act, but he can also exercise the inherent powers of a 
Court of Justice to issue search warrants and warrants of arrest for any 
other case only in extremely urgent cases such as the complete absence 
of Regional Trial Court judges or Municipal Trial Court judges in area. 
Conversely, only in extremely urgent cases and for compelling reasons 
such as the complete absence and unavailability of DDC Justices, the 
other Courts of Justice may issue search warrants and warrants of 
arrest with respect to violations of the Act. 
The SC in consultation with the appropriate law enforcement agencies 
shall promulgate the rules with respect to search and seizure in cases 
cognizable by the DDC. In the meantime, the applicable laws and rules 
will apply, except if inconsistent with this Act. 
S~ction 21 of the Act with respect to Custody and Disposition of 
Confiscated, Seized, and/or Surrendered Dangerous Drugs, Plant 
Sources of Dangerous Drugs, Controlled Precursors and Essential 
Chemicals, Instruments/Paraphernalia and/ or Laboratory Equipment is 
hereby amended such that all mention of "the Court" in that section, 
shall mean and pertain to the Dangerous Drugs Court (DDC). 
d. The Dangerous Drugs Court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction 
over petitions for the issuance of the writs of mandamus, prohibition, 
certiorari, habeas corpus injunction, amparo, habeas data and other 
ancillary writs and processes in aid of its jurisdiction. Provided, that the 
jurisdiction over these petitions shall not be exclusive of the Supreme 
Court. 


e. The Drugs Court may impose the Death Penalty only in accordance 
with the Act 'in appropriate cases, notwithstanding RA 9346 otherwise 
known as "An Act title Imposition of Death Penalty in the Philippines". In 
case the penalty imposed is death in accordance with the Act, review by 
the Supreme Court shall be automatic, whether or not the accused filed 
an appeal. 'The Supreme Court shall be consulted about this provision 
before it becomes final. 
Section 5. Prosecution Team - The provisions of any law or rule to the 
contrary notwithstanding, the direction and control of the prosecution of 
cases mentioned in Section 4 hereof, shall be exercised by one (I) Chief 
Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutor for each DDC division, who shall 
be assisted by two (2) 
Deputy Chief Dangerous Drugs Division 
Prosecutors per DDC division and two (2) Senior Assistant Dangerous 
Drugs Division Prosecutors who shall all be appointed by the President of 
the Philippines. 
The Chief-Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors shall have the have the 
same qualifications, rank, category, salary, emoluments and other 
privileges, be subject to the same inhibitions and disqualifications, and 
enjoy the same retirements and other benefits as those provided for 
under existing laws for Regional Prosecutors. 
The Deputy Chief Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors shall have the 
have the same qualifications, rank, category, salary, emoluments and 
other privileges, be subject to the same inhibitions and disqualifications, 
and enjoy the same retirements and other benefits as those provided for 
under existing laws for Deputy Regional Prosecutors. 
Dangerous Drugs Division 'Prosecutors shall have the have the same 
qualifications, rank, category, salary, emoluments and other privileges, 
be subject to the same inhibitions and disqualifications, and enjoy the 
same retirements and other benefits as those provided for under existing 
laws for Senior Assistant Regional Prosecutors 
The Chief Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors, the Deputy Chief 
Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors and the Dangerous Drugs 
Division 
Prosecutors shall have 
exclusive 
authority to 
conduct 
preliminary investigations of all complaints filed with the Dangerous 
Drugs Court, to file information and conduct the prosecution of all cases; 
Provided, that the Secretary of Justice may designate any lawyer in the 
government service as Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutor or special 
counsel to assist the Chief Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors in 
conducting preliminary investigations and prosecuting cases before the 
Dangerous Drugs Court. 
The Chief Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors, the Deputy Chief 
Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors and the Dangerous Drugs 
Division Prosecutors collectively, "the Dangerous Drugs Prosecutors" 
mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall have the authority to 
administer oaths, to issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum, 


summon and compel witnesses to appear and testify under oath before 
them and to bring books, documents or other things under their control 
and to secure the attendance or presence of any abspnt or recalcitrant 
witness through application before the DDC division or any Justice 
thereof, or before any inferior or superior court having jurisdiction of the 
place where the witness or evidence may be found. 
The Chief Dangerous Drugs Division Prosecutors and his assistants shall 
be directly under the control of the Secretary of ,Justice. 
In cases where the offender is a Public Officer, the Ombudsman and the 
Dangerous Drugs Prosecutors shall have concurrent jurisdiction except if 
the law or the Constitution vests exclusive jurisdiction in the 
Ombudsman. All mention of "prosecutors" in the provisions of the Act 
shall pertain to the Dangerous Drugs Prosecutor's as provided herein. 
Section 6. Preliminary Investigation; Trial - The preliminary investigation of 
cases filed under the Act shall be terminated within a period of thirty (30) days 
from the date of their filing. 
When the preliminmy investigation is conducted by a Dangerous Drugs 
Prosecutor and . probable cause is established, the corresponding information 
shall be filed in court within twenty-four (24) hours from the termination of the 
investigation. If the preliminary investigation is conducted by a judge and a 
probable cause is found to exist, the corresponding information shall be filed 
by the proper prosecutor within forty-eight (48) hours from the date of receipt 
of the records of the case. 
Trial of the case under Section 4 and Section 5 shall be finished by the DOC 
not later than Sixty (60) days from the date of the filing of the information. 
Decision on said cases shall be rendered within a period of fifteen (15) days 
from the date of Submission of the case for resolution. 
Section 7. Form, Finality and Enforcement of Decisions - All decisions and 
final orders determining the merits of a case or finally disposing of the action or 
proceedings of the DOC shall contain complete findings of the facts and the law 
on which they are based, on all issues properly raised before it and neccssary 
in deciding the case. A motion for reconsideration of any final order· or decision 
may be filed within fifteen (15) days from promulgation or notice of the final 
order or judgment, and such motion for reconsideration shall be decided within 
thirty (30) days from submission thereon. Decisions and final orders of the 
DOC shall be appealable to the Supreme Court by petition for review on 
certiorari raising pure questions of law in accordance with Rule 45 of the Rules 
of Court. Whenever, in any case decided by the DOC, the penalty of life 
imprisonment, reclusion perpetua or higher is imposed, the decision '3ha11 be 
appealable to the Supreme Court in the manner prescribed in the Rules of 
Court. The Supreme Court shall be consulted with respect to this provision. 
Judgments and Orders of the DOC shall be executed and enforced in the 
manner provided by law. 


The Justices of the DOC shall each certify on their applications for leave, and 
upon salary vouchers presented by them for payment, or upon the payrolls 
under which their salaries are paid, that all proceedings, petitions and motions 
which have been submitted to the Court for determination or decision for a 
period required by the law or the Constitution, as the case may be, have been 
determined or decided by the Court on or before the date of making the 
. 
, 
certificate, and no leave shall be granted and no salary shall be paid without 
such certificate. 
Section 8. Rules of Procedure - The Rules of Court promulgated by the 
Supreme Court shall apply to all cases and proceedings filed with the DOC in 
the meantime. The Supreme Court shall promulgate special rules of procedure 
which shall be applicable to the DOC within 30 days from the effectivity of this 
Act. 
The DOC shall have no power to promulgate its own rules of procedure, except 
to adopt internal rules governing the allotment of cases among the divisions, 
the rotation of Justices among them, and other matters relating to the internal 
operations of the court which shall be enforced until repealed or nJOdified by 
the Supreme Court. 
Section 9. Administrative Personnel - Upon recommendation of the DOC, the 
Supreme Court .may designate, from among the officers and employees under 
it, or appoint. the personnel necessary for the DOC, Provided, however, that 
those merely designated shall not receive additional compensation, except per 
diems, traveling and necessary expenses in accordance with existing laws and 
rules. 
The Supreme Court shall appoint one (1) Clerk of Court for each of the DOC 
division. The Clerks of Court so appointed shall have the have the same 
qualifications, rank, category, salary, emoluments and other privileges, be 
subject to the same inhibitions and disqualifications, and enjoy the same 
retirements and other benefits as those provided for under existing laws for 
Executive Clerks of Court of t.he Sandiganbayan. 
All subordinate employees of the DOC and all divisions thereof shall be 
governed by the provisions of the Civil Service Law; Provided, that the DOC 
division concerned, may, by resolution unanimously voted upon by three (3) of 
its Justices, remove any of them for cause. 
Section 10. Security - In view of the sensitive nature of the functions and 
powers to be exercised by the DDC, its divisions and Justices, and personnel', 
as well as the Dangerous Drugs prosecutors, the PDEA, PNP, NBI and the AFP 
all in coordination, are hereby directed to post 24-hour security personnel for 
each division of the DOC. 
Section 11. Transfer of cases - All cases cognizable by the DOC as herein 
provided, being heard in other courts, except those already submitted for 
decision/resolution shall be transferred to the DOC. 
Section 12. Funding - There is hereby immediately appropriated out of any 
funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may 


---
--------
be necessary to carry out the provIsIons of this Act and thereafter to be 
included in the general appropriation act: The appropriations for the DOC shall 
be automatically released in accordance with a schedule submitted by the 
DOC. 
Section 13. Repealing Clause - Any provision of law, order, rule or regulation 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
Section 14. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
the completion 'of its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved.