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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the policy of the State to protect and conserve its valuable water resources. 
Thus, the government has the fundamental duty of ensuring adequate and safe water 
supply for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and other needs of the country. 
Because of the threatened depletion of our resources caused by a burgeoning 
population, greater exploitative activity and higher industrialization, government must 
renew and improve its efforts to prevent this cycle. A growing general awareness 
among the people has likewise prompted vigilant environmental groups and concerned 
individuals to seek stronger and more effective intervention by the government for 
improved management as well as rationalized use of these resources. 
R.A 7586, or the “National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992,” 
recognizes the immense importance of watersheds and other areas classified as 
protected areas in the maintenance of a healthy environment. The law underscored the 
urgent need to protect and conserve these areas by placing them under the 
administration and management of the NIPAS. However, the definition and provision of 
penalties for specific destructive activities within these areas must be addressed by 
further legislation. 
This proposed bill focuses on one such major destructive activity by defining the 
offense of illegal logging within protected areas and providing penalties for its 
commission. The early enactment of this bill is sought to ensure proper protection, 
conservation and development of our valuable water resources for the benefit of our 
people and of future generations. 
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ClTO ESTRADA 
9 
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First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
AN ACT 
DEFINING THE OFFENSE OF ILLEGAL LOGGING IN WATERSHEDS 
THEREFOR 
AND OTHER PROTECTED AREAS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECiION I. 
Declaration of PolicyL It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to protect, conserve and develop water resources for human consumption, irrigation, 
hydro-electric power generation inland fisheries, bio-diversity and for other beneficial 
purposes, and to these ends, the cutting and felling of trees within watersheds and other 
protected areas as prohibited. 
SECTION 2. Illegal Logging In Watersheds and Other Protected Areas, - It is 
hereby declared unlawful for any person to cut or fell trees for any purpose whatsoever 
within watersheds and other protected areas. 
SECTION 3. Penalties.-.Violation of Section 2 hereof shall be punished with 
reclusion perpetua. No mitigating circumstances whatsoever shall be appreciated in 
favor of the offender. 
In addition to the prison term, the oflender shall indemnify the Republic of the 
Philippines in an amount ten (IO) times the value of the illegally cut trees. 
If the offender is a corporation, partnership or other juridical person, the Chief 
Executive Officer thereof, whether Chairman, President or General Manager, shall be 
criminally liable in the commission of the offense penalized under this Act. 
If the crime herein mentioned is committed by a public officer, he shall, in 
addition to the foregoing penalties, be perpetually disqualified from holding public office. 
SECTION 4. Suspension of Licenses. Upon the filing of the necessary 
information in court, the government prosecutor shall, if the offender is a corporation, 
partnership or other juridical person to whom a license agreement, lease permit to 
utilize forest resources within any forest land has been granted, foward a copy of the 
information to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Up0 
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- receipt thereof, the DENR shall immediately cause the suspension of the license 
agreement, lease or permit, as the case may be, of the offender until termination of the 
criminal case. 
In case the offender is acquitted, the suspension shall be ordered lifted. 
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Otherwise, the license, lease or permit shall be ordered cancelled. 
SEC. 5. The Indeterminate Sentence Law shall not be applicable to the offense 
punished in this Act. 
SEC. 6. Forfeiture of the Instrument of the Crime: - Any tool, equipment or 
vehicle used in the cutting and transport of the illegally cut trees shall be automatically 
forfeited in favor of the government. 
SEC. 7. Separability Clause. - If for any person, any portion or provision of this 
Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts not affected thereby shall remain 
in full force and effect. 
SEC. 8. Repealing Clause, - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 9. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved 
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