FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
540 
,1'1 .1 L 
OPI'ICE '.", SFl", J. r,V 
10 ,J\l -1 1t9:25 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This legislative measure seeks to amend Section 80 of Presidential Decree No. 
705, otherwise known as the "Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines", as 
amended by Presidential Decree No. 1775. 
It aims to mobilize barangay officials to help the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources and the Philippine National Police personnel in protecting our 
forests. 
Under this bill, aside from the forest officer or employee of the Forest 
Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
or any officer of the Philippine National Police, any barangay official is now given 
the authority to arrest, even without warrant, and file complaints with the 
appropriate official authorized by law to conduct a preliminary investigation of 
criminal case, any person who has committed or is committing in his presence, or 
attempting to commit an offense against the forestry law, subject to Section 5, 
Rule 113, of the Rules of Criminal Procedure. 
The immediate approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
540 
iO Jil =71 
1\ 9 :25 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTION 80 OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 705, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE REVISED FORESTRY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS 
AMENDED BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1775 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 80 of Presidential Decree No. 705, as amended by 
Presidential Decree No. 1775, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"Sec. 80. Arrest: institution of criminal actions. - A forest officer or 
employee of the Bureau, [or any] AN OFFICER OF THE 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE OR ANY BARAN GAY OFFICIAL 
[personnel of the Philippine Constabulary I Integrated National 
Pl!llice] shall arrest even without warrant any person who has 
cpmmitted or is committing or attempting to commit in his presence 
. any of the offenses defined in this Chapter, SUBJECT TO 
SECTION 5, 
RULE 113, OF THE RULES OF CRIMINAL 
PROCEEDURE. He shall also seize and confiscate, in favor of the 
Government, the tools and equipment used in committing the 
offense. 
The arresting forest officer or employee, OFFICER OF 
THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE OR ANY BARANGAY 
OFFICIAL, shall thereafter deliver within six (6) hours from the time 
of arrest and seizure, the offender and the confiscated forest 
products, tools and equipment and file the proper compliant with, 
the appropriate official designated by law to conduct preliminary 
investigation and file information in Court. 
If the arrest and seizure are made in the forest, far from the 
authorities designated by law to conduct investigations, the delivery 
to and filing of the complaint with the latter shall be done within a 
reasonable time sufficient for ordinary travel from the place of arrest 
to the place of delivery. 
The seized products, materials and 
eqUipment shall be immediately disposed of in accordance with 
forestry administrative orders promulgated by the Department 
Head. 


The 
Department 
Head 
may 
deputize 
any 
OFFICER 
OR 
EMPLOYEE OF ANY agency OF THE GOVERNMENT, [agency, 
barangay or barrio official,] or any qualified person to protect the 
forest and exercise the power or authority provided in the preceding 
paragraphS. 
Reports and complaints regarding the commission of any offenses 
defined in this Chapter, not committed in the presence of any forest 
officer or employee, 
AN 
OFFICER OF 
THE 
PHILIPPINE 
NATIONAL 
POLICE 
OR 
ANY 
BARANGAY 
OFFICIAL 
OR 
DE;:PUTIZED OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF ANY AGENCY OF 
THE 
GOVERNMENT [or any personnel 
of the 
Philippine 
Constabulary I Integrated National Police of any of the deputized 
. officers or officials] shall immediately be investigated by the forest 
officer assigned in the area [or any personnel of the Philippine 
Constabulary I Integrated National Police] where the offense was 
allegedly 
committed, 
OR 
BY 
ANY 
QUALIFIED 
PERSON 
AUTHORIZED TO PROTECT THE FOREST OR EXERCISE THE 
POWERS UNDER THIS SECTION who shall thereupon receive the 
evidence supporting the report or complaint. 
If there is a prima facie evidence to support the complaint or report, 
the investigating forest officer [and/or members of the Philippine 
Constabulary I Integrated National Police] OR BY ANY QUALIFIED 
PERSON AUTHORIZED TO 
PROTECT THE FOREST OR 
EXERCISE THE POWERS UNDER THIS SECTION shall file the 
necessary complaint with the appropriate official authorized by law 
to conduct a preliminary investigation of criminal case and file an 
information in Court." 
SEC 2. Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources and the Department of Interior and Local Government shall jOintly 
issue the rules and regulations of this Act within thirty (30) days after its 
effectivity. 
SEC 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, 
rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly. 
SEC 4. 
Separability Clause. -
If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected hereby shall remain valid and 
subsisting. 
SEC 5. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation 
Approved,