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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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3 4  JIN 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Firsf Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
Introduced by Senator S. R. Osmeiia 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Missing persons have always been a problem in our country. From all 
over the archipelago, individuals are reported missing almost daily. 
Unfortunately, there is no one agency that focuses on the needs of 
relatives of missing persons. 
This measure aims to create a Commission on Missing Persons which 
intends to promote and ensure public safety of the community. 
Some functions of the Commission are as follows: 
1) 
To conduct investigation of missing persons whose 
whereabouts are unknown, upon its initiative or upon the request of an 
interested party. 
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2) 
To call upon different agencies, government and non- 
government, for assistance and service as it may require in the discharge 
of its responsibilities. 
3) 
To advise a system of raising the consciousness with 
regards to missing persons. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
requested. 
SERGIO QSMENA 111 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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'04 Mi 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator S. R. Osmeiia 111 
AN ACT 
CREATING A COMMISSION ON MISSING PERSONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 
1. 
In order to promote and ensure public safety of the 
community, there is hereby created a Commission to be known as the 
Commission on Missing Persons, hereinafter referred to as the Commission. 
The Commission shall be composed of the Director General of the Philippine 
National Police as Chairman, the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation, 
Chairman of National Police Commission and the Secretary of Social Welfare 
and Development as members, each of whom shall hold office for a term of two 
year 
For actual attendance at regular meetings, the Chairman and each 
member of the Commission shall receive a per diem of One thousand pesos 
(PI ,000.00) for every meeting actually attended, but the total amount of per diem 
that the Chairman and a member may receive in a month shall in no case exceed 
Three thousand pesos (P3,OOO.OO). 
The Commission shall, for administrative 
purposes, be under the office of the Secretary of National Defense. 
SEC. 2. The Commission shall have the following functions: 
(I) 
To conduct investigation of missing persons whose whereabouts are 
unknown, upon its initiative or upon the request of an interested 


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(2) 
To evaluate and render corresponding reports on each of the cases 
and make recommendations to the party requesting the search or to 
the DSWD for temporary shelter and assistance; 
(3) 
Conduct research, before submitting the corresponding report or 
investigation, to support or back up the commendations; 
(4) To monitor and supervise the investigation conducted by members of 
the Police Forces: 
(5) To coordinate the activities of investigation teams with social workers 
of the DSWD in the case of abandoned or maltreatedlabused 
children and dependents; 
(6) 
To continuously review and evaluate Detective 
Operations to 
achieve specification of detective assignments as a measure of the 
accomplishment of investigation teams; 
To call upon different agencies, government and non-governmental, 
for assistance and service as it may require in the discharge of its 
res pons i b i I i t ies ; 
To initiate policies an programs towards an effective communication 
system to aid the search of missing person; and 
To devise a system of raising the consciousness of the people and 
for them to inform the Commission of persons who are found 
loitering about pubiic places, tramping or wandering about aimlessly. 
SEC. 3. There shall be a Secretariat for the Commission headed by an 
Executive Director, to be appointed by the Chairman and approved by a majority 
of the members of the Commission. The compensation and allowances of the 
Secretariat shall be fixed by the Commission. 
(7) 
(8) 
(9) 
SEC. 
4. 
The Commission shall have the power to make arrests, 
searches and seizures in accordance with existing laws and rules and shall 
likewise have the power to issue subpoena or subpoena duces tecum for the 
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appearance of any persons for investigation. 
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SEC. 
5. 
The Secretary of National Defense shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 6. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or 
parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 7. The amount needed for the implementation of this Act shall be 
charged to the appropriations of the Department of National Defense under the 
current annual General Appropriations Act, Thereafter, such sum shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circuldtion 
whichever comes earlier. 
Approved, 
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