REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
) 
) 
S€Ni~ iE 
" .'l( ~Of 
,'H£; SECRtTA8\f 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1050 
t ' ~,< 
, 
RECEM:!) f1Y : .-II.--: 
I 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
EXP~ANATORY NOTE 
Article III of the 1987 Constitution provides the Bill of Rights of every Filipino 
citizen. Our right to life, liberty, property and security among other fundamental rights 
enumerated therein, are the foundations of a truly democratic society and it is the policy 
of the State to protect these rights. It is also the duty of the State to commit to the 
promotion, protection and fulfillment of existing human rights laws and those that are 
embodied under the Intemational Humanitarian Law (IHL). In the pursuance of this 
State policy and to effect our commitment on human rights laws and foremost, to protect 
the rights of persons who were internally displaced due to natural or human-made 
disasters, this bill is thus, being proposed. 
The Citizens Disaster Response Center or CDRC in a study it conducted in 2007 
reveals that five (5) of the country's most frequently occurred natural and man-made 
disasters were fire, armed conflict, flood, tropical cyclone and storm surges. It reported 
that in 2007 alone, more than one (1) million families or around 4.5 million persons were 
affected by these disasters. More than 200,000 of these individuals most particularly 
those in the rural areas have been evacuated or displaced from their habitual homes 
due to armed conflict 
Although armed aggression' is second only in rank in terms of frequent 
occurrence, it is very alarming though that the number of persons it affected increased 
by eighty-six percent (86%) or by more than 95,000 in 2007 compared to the previous 
year. The National Disaster Coordinating Councilor NDCC has reported that as of 02 
September 2008, the complex emergency in Mindanao brought about by armed 
confrontation between the Philippine armed forces and the MILF and other rebel groups, 
particularly in Regions X, XII and the ARMM has affected or displaced 89,243 families 
or 423,772 persons. This proposed bill is conceived to address this decades old 
problem. 
The bill aims to promote and protect the rights of internally displaced persons 
(lOPs) brought about by armed conflict, violations of human rights and other natural or 
man-made disasters. It shall likewise, define and criminalize acts of arbitrary internal 
displacement committed by any person or group of persons against any civilian. 
Internally displaced families and communities shall be provided with immediate relief 
and humanitarian assistance by the military and law enforcement agencies who are 
conducting the operations, the DSWD, DOH and the local government units concerned. 
Assistance will include compensation to families or persons who are victims of internal 
displacement 
, 
'" 
• 
i 


The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in addition to its constitutional 
mandate shall be designated as the institutional focal point for the internally displaced. It 
will be tasked to monitor as well as investigate human rights violations committed 
against internally displaced persons .and shall likewise be the government's advisor on 
sound policies and legislation necessary to effectively implement this proposed act. It 
will also be responsible for the drafiil:lg and promulgation of this act's implementing rules 
and regulations (IRR). 
A Joint Congressional Oversight Committee shall be created and will be 
represented by Members of the Ser;,ate and the House of Representatives particularly 
the Chairperson of their respective Committee on Human Rights. It shall have the power 
to review, revise, amend and approve the IRR promulgated by the CHR. It shall 
likewise, have the power to inquire into, summon and investigate the legality and factual 
justifications of the Orders of Baltle created by the military, police or any law 
enforcement agency. 
Based on the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this proposed measure is 
earnestly sought. 


'ifi\},' 7[ 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
) 
) 
eflF'IQt or THE .';f:C~ltTAR~ 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1050 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
AN ACT 
IMPROVING PHILIPPINE COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS PROMOTION 
AND PROTECTION BY PROVIDING THE NECESSARY MECHANISMS 
FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE OCCURRENCE AND PROTECTION 
FROM THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - Jhis Act shall be known as the "Internal 
Displacement Act of 2010". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles and State Policies. - Consistent with the 
principles enshrined in the 1987 ,Constitution, the standards set by international 
humanitarian law and human rights laws, international treaties and conventions 
adhered to by the Philippines, it is also hereby declared a State policy to promote 
and protect the rights of internally displaced persons in situations of armed 
conflict, generalized violence, violations of human rights, land conversion and 
any other land conflict, environmental destruction, aggressive implementation of 
development projects and other natural or human-made disasters. 
When an armed conflict of a non-international character is inevitable, the 
State shall ensure the promotion and protection of the rights of the citizens who 
are non-combatants, .who shall enjoy, in full equality, the same rights and 
freedoms under international and domestic law as do other persons in their 
country. These citizens shall not be discriminated against in the enjoyment of any 
rights and freedoms on the ground that they are internally displaced. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - The following terms, as defined accordingly, 
shall be used in the Act: 
(a) "Internal Displacement" refers to the involuntary movement or forced 
evacuation or expulsion of any person or group of persons to flee or leave their 
homes or places of habitual residence, without crossing an internationally 
recognized State border, as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed 
conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or other 
natural or human made disasters; 
(b) "Arbitrary Internal Displacement" refers to acts of displacement or any 
other coercive act committed by any person or group of persons and directed 
against the civilian population which are contrary to law, good morals, public 


order and public policy, and committed with abuse of authority, oppressive or 
wanton disregard of the right to life, liberty or property and abode of the residents 
of an area in which they are lawfully present, and characterized by those 
situations as defined Section 5 under this Act; 
(c) "Internally Displaced Person" hereinafter described as an lOP, refers to 
any individual who has suffered harm as a direct result of an arbitrary internal 
displacement as defined above. 
(d) "Order of Battle" refers to a document made by the military, police or 
any law enforcement agency of the Government, listing the names of persons 
and organizations that it perceives to be enemies of the State and that it 
considers as legitimate military targets as combatants that it could deal with, 
through the use of military means allowed by domestic and international law. 
(e) "Apartheid" refers to inhumane acts, including murder, extermination, 
enslavement, deportation or forcible transfer of population, imprisonment or other 
severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of 
international law, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced 
pregnancy, enforced sterilization and other forms of sexual violence of 
comparable gravity, persecution against any identifiable group or collectively on 
political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender or other grounds that 
are universally recognized as if!1permissible under international law, enforced 
disappearance of persons and other similar acts intentionally causing great 
suffering, or serious injury to body, or to mental or physical health, committed in 
the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and 
domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and 
committed with the intention of maintaining that regime. 
(f) "Ethnic Cleansing" refers to the use of force or intimidation to remove 
people of a certain ethnic or religious group from an area to make it ethnically 
homogenous, and carried out by means of murder, torture, arbitrary arrest and 
detention, extrajudicial executions, rape and sexual assault, confinement of the 
civilian population, deliberate military attacks or threats of attacks on civilians and 
civilian areas, wanton destruction of property, mass murder, mistreatment of 
civilian prisoners and prisoners of war, use of civilians as human shields, 
destruction of cultural property, 'robbery of personal property, and attacks on 
hospitals, medical personnel, a'nd locations with the red cross/red crescent 
emblem, and other similar criminal offenses. 
SEC. 4. Prevention of Infernal Displacement. - All authorities, groups and 
persons, irrespective of their legal status and applied without any adverse 
distinction, shall respect and ensure compliance with their obligations under 
international law, including hum'an rights law and humanitarian law, so as to 
prevent and avoid conditions that might lead to internal displacement of persons. 
SEC. 5. Prohibition Against Arbitrary InternEiI Displacement. -
The 
prohibited acts of arbitrary internal displacement shall include those committed: 
(1) based on policies of apartheid, "ethnic cleansing" or similar practices 
aimed at or resulting in altering the ethnic, religious or racial 
composition of the affected population; 
(2) in situations of armed conflict, unless the security of the civilians is 
involved; 
2 


(3) in cases of large-scale,development projects, which are not justified by 
compelling and overriding public interest; 
(4) in cases of disasters, unless the safety and health of those affected 
requires their evacuation; 
(5) when used as a collective punishment; and 
(6) violations of the rights of lOPs during displacement under Section 8 of 
this Act 
An Order of Battle, official or otherwise, issued by the military, police or 
any law enforcement agency of the Government, shall not justify an arbitrary or 
internal displacement and shall subject the perpetrators to the penalties provided 
under Section 10 of th is Act 
,. 
SEC. 6. Protection from Arbitrary Internal Displacement - All authorities, 
including the local government ui:lits concerned, groups and persons, irrespective 
of their legal status and applied without any adverse distinction, shall protect its 
citizens against being arbitrarily displaced from hislher home or place of habitual 
residence, 
Displacement shall not be carried out in a manner that violates the rights 
to life, dignity, liberty and security of those affected. Any displacements not 
included in the preceding Section shall not last longer than what is required by 
the circumstances. 
' 
In 
addition, 
the 
following 
safeguards 
against 
arbitrary 
internal 
displacement shall be observed by all concerned authorities, groups and 
persons: 
a) All feasible alternatives shall be explored 
in 
order to 
avoid 
displacement Where' no alternatives exist, all measures shall be 
undertaken to minimize displacement and its adverse effects on the 
population that will be affected; 
b) If displacement is inevitable, the authorities shall ensure, to the 
greatest practicable extent, that proper accommodation is effected in 
satisfactory conditions of safety, nutrition, health and hygiene, and that 
members of the same family are not separated; 
c) Indigenous peoples, minorities, peasants, pastoralists and other 
groups with a special dependency on and attachment to their lands 
shall be protected from: displacement; 
d) In situations other than during the emergency stages of armed conflict 
and disaster, the following guarantees shall be complied with: 
(i) a specific decision shall be taken by the authority empowered by 
law to order such measures; 
(ii) full information on the reasons and procedure for the displacement 
and, where applicable, also on compensation and relocation; 
(iii) the free and informed consent of those persons to be displaced 
shall be sought; 
, 
3 


(iv) the authorities concerned shall endeavor to involve those affected, 
particularly wornen, in the planning and management of their 
relocation, resettlement and reintegration; 
(v) law enforcement measures, where required, shall be carried out by 
competent legal authorities; and 
(vi)the right to an effective remedy, including the review of such 
decisions by appropriate judicial authorities, shall be respected. 
SEC. 7. Permanent Prohibition Against Arbitrary Displacement. -
The 
prohibition of arbitrary internal displacement and the fundamental safeguards for 
its prevention shall not be suspended under any circumstances, including 
political instability, threat of war, state of war or other public emergencies. 
SEC. 8. Rights During Displacement. - The following rights shall be 
afforded internally displaced persons during the period of their displacement, 
without discrimination of any kind, such as those based on race, colour, sex, 
language, religion or belief, political or other opinion, national ethnic or social 
origin, legal or social status, age, disability, property, birth or on any other similar 
criteria: 
a) 
At the minimum, regardless of the circumstances, and without 
discrimination, 
competent authorities shall 
provide 
internally 
displaced persons with and ensure safe access to: 
(i) essential and adequate food and nutrition and potable water; 
(ii) basic shelter and housing; 
(iii) appropriate clothing; and 
(iv) essential medical and dental services and sanitation, including 
psychological and social services, and essential drugs and 
medicines. 
b) 
Internally displaced persons shall be protected against genocide, 
murder, 
summarY 
of 
arbitrary 
executions 
and 
enforced 
disappearances, including abduction or unacknowledged detention, 
threatening or resulting in death. They shall protected from arbitrary 
and discriminatory' arrest and detention as a result of their 
displacement and in no case shall they be taken hostage. Threats 
and incitement to commit the foregoing acts shall be prohibited; 
c) 
Attacks or other acts of violence against internally displaced 
persons who do not or no longer participate in hostilities shall be 
prohibited in all circumstances. In particular, internally displaced 
persons shall be protected against: 
(i) 
direct or indiscriminate attacks or other acts of violence, 
including the creation of areas wherein attacks on civilians 
are permitted; 
(ii) 
starvation as a method of combat; 
(iii) 
their being used to shield objectives of the military, police or 
any armed group, from attack, or to shield, favor or impede 
operations of the military, police or any armed group; 
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(iv) 
attacks against their camps, settlements or evacuation 
centers; and 
(v) 
the use of anti-personnel landmines. 
d) 
Internally displaced persons, whether or not their liberty has been 
restricted, shall be protected against: 
(i) 
rape, mutilation, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading 
treatment or .punishment, and other outrages upon personal 
dignity, such as acts of gender-specific violence, forced 
prostitution and any form of indecent assault; 
(ii) 
slavery or arlY contemporary form of slavery, such as sale 
into marriage, sexual exploitation, or forced labor of children; 
and 
(iii) 
acts of violence intended to spread terror among internally 
displaced persons. 
Threats and incitement to commit any of the foregoing acts shall be 
prohibited. 
e) 
Internally displaced persons shall not be interned in or confined to a 
camp. 
If in 
exceptional circumstances such 
internment or 
confinement is necessary, it shall not last longer than what is 
required by the circumstances, as may be determined by the 
Commission on Human Rights. 
f) 
Internally 
displaced 
persons 
shall 
be 
protected 
against 
discriminatory praCtices of recruitment into any armed forces or 
groups as a result of their displacement. In particular, any cruel, 
inhuman or degrading practices that compel compliance or punish 
non-compliance with recruitment shall be prohibited in all 
circumstances; 
g) 
Every internally displaced person has the right to liberty of 
movement and freedom to choose his/her residence. In particular, 
he/she has the right to move freely in and out of camps or other 
settlements, subject to existing camp rules and regulations; 
h) 
Internally displaCed persons, whether or not they are living in 
camps, shall not be discriminated against in the enjoyment of the 
following rights: 
(i) 
freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, opinion 
and expression; 
(ii) 
to 
seek fr.eely 
opportunities for employment and to 
participate in economic activities; 
(iii) 
to associate freely and participate equally in community 
affairs; 
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(iv) 
to vote and participate in governmental and public affairs, 
including the right to have access to the rneans necessary to 
exercise these rights; and 
(v) 
to communicate in a language they understand. 
i) Internally displaced persons have the right to: 
(i) 
to leave the country; 
(ii) 
the right to seek safety in another part of the country; 
(iii) 
seek asylum in another country; and 
(iv) 
be protected against forcible return to resettlement in any 
place where .their life, safety, liberty and/or health would be 
at risk. 
j) The authorities concerned shall issue to the internally displaced 
persons all documents necessary for the enjoyment and exercise of 
their legal rights. In particular, the authorities shall facilitate the 
issuance of new documents or the replacement of documents lost in 
the course of displacement, without imposing unreasonable conditions, 
and without discrimination against women and men, who shall have 
equal rights to obtain al)d to be issued the same in their own names; 
k) The authorities concerned shall endeavor to establish the fate and 
whereabouts of internally displaced persons reported missing, and 
cooperate with relevant international organizations engaged in this 
task. They shall inform the next of kin on the progress of the 
investigation and notify them of any result; 
, 
I) 
The authorities concerned shall endeavor to collect and identify the 
mortal remains of those deceased, prevent their despoliation or 
mutilation, and facilitate the return of those remains to the next of kin or 
dispose of them respe~tfully; 
m) Grave sites of internally displaced persons shall be protected and 
respected in all circumstances and lOPs shall have the right of access 
to the grave sites of their deceased relatives; 
n) Members of internally displaced families who wish to remain together 
shall be allowed to do so. Families that are separated by displacement 
and whose personal' liberty has been restricted by internment or 
confinement in camps, should be reunited as quickly as possible and 
all appropriate measures shall be taken to expedite the reunion of such 
families, particularly when children are involved. 
0) The State shall encourage the cooperation of international and local 
humanitarian organizations engaged in the task of family reunification; 
p) Certain internally displaced persons, such as children, especially 
unaccompanied minors, expectant mothers, mothers with young 
children, female heads of household, persons with disabilities and 
elderly persons, including the wounded and the sick, shall be entitled 
to protection and assistance required by their condition and to 
treatment which takes into account their special needs, such as but not 
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limited to their health needs, reproductive health care as well as 
appropriate counseling prevention of contagious and infectious 
diseases, including aigs, and access to psychological and social 
services. The right to privacy of married couples shall likewise be 
protected; 
q) The property and possessions of internally displaced persons shall in 
all circumstances be protected against the following acts: 
(i) 
pillage; 
(ii) 
direct or indiscriminate attacks or other acts of violence; 
(iii) 
being used to shield military operations or objectives; 
(iv) 
being made the object of reprisal; 
(v) being destroyed or ?ppropriated as a form of collective punishment; 
and 
(vi) against destruction 
and 
arbitrary and 
illegal 
appropriation, 
occupation or use. 
r) The authorities concerned shall ensure that internally displaced 
persons, in particular, displaced children, receive education that shall 
be free and compulsory at the primary level, special efforts should be 
made to ensure the fLiIi and equal participation of women and girls in 
educational program, should respect their cultural identify, language 
and religion, educational and training facilities shall be made available 
to IDPs, as son as circLimstances permit. 
The rights herein shall not be interpreted as restricting, modifying, or 
impairing the provisions of any international human rights or international 
humanitarian law instrument or rights granted under persons under domestic law. 
SEC. 9. Assistance during displacement, retum, resettlement or local 
integration of the displaced persons. - The military and law enforcement agencies 
conducting operations, the Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD), the Department of Health (DOH), the corresponding government 
hospital and the local government unit/s concerned shall provide immediate relief 
and humanitarian assistance to internally displaced, families and communities. 
Humanitarian assistance shall not be diverted for any political or military 
reasons. All authorities concerned shall grant and facilitate the free passage of 
humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced and ensure rapid, safe and 
unimpeded access of persons engaged in giving such assistance, their transport 
and supplies, to the displaced communities. 
All concerned authorities. shall assist the IDPs in the recovery of their 
property and possessions, and shall provide or assist these persons in obtaining 
appropriate compensation or other forms of just reparation. 
When 
providing 
assistance, 
international 
and 
local 
humanitarian 
organizations and other appropriate actors shall respect relevant international 
standards and codes of conduct and give due regard to the protection of the 
needs and human rights of the internally displaced and this shall be considered 
in good faith, and not as an unfriendly act or interference in the Government's 
internal affairs. Consent thereto shall not be arbitrarily withheld, particularly when 
authorities concerned are unable or willing to provide the required humanitarian 
assistance. 
7 


SEC. 10. Penalties. a) The penalty of reclusion temporal shall be imposed 
upon the following persons: 
(1) Those who directly commit the act of arbitrary internal displacement; 
(2) Those who directly force, instigate, encourage, induce or incite others 
to commit the act of arbitrary internal displacement; 
(3) Those who cooperate in the act of arbitrary internal displacement by 
committing 
another act, 
without the 
act of arbitrary 
internal 
displacement would no~ have been carried out; 
(4) Those commanding officers, as well as all elements of the military, 
police and/or other law enforcement agencies, who actually and/or 
directly participate in the act of arbitrary internal displacement; 
(5) Those who cooperated 
in the execution of arbitrary internal 
displacement by previous or simUltaneous acts; 
(6) Those commanding officers of the military, police or other law 
enforcement agencies, or other authorities, for acts of arbitrary 
internal displacement committed by forces under his/her effective 
command and control, or effective authority and control as the case 
may be, as a result of his/her failure to exercise control properly over 
such forces, where said commanding officers or authorities knew or, 
owing to the circumstances at the time, should have known that the 
forces were committing or about to commit such crimes, and failed to 
take all necessary and reasonable means within his/her power to 
prevent or repress their commission, or to submit the matter to the 
competent authorities for investigation and prosecution. 
b) The penalty of prision mayor shall be imposed upon those who attempt 
to commit the offense of arbitrary internal displacement. 
c) The penalty of prision mayor shall be imposed upon the persons who, 
having knowledge of the act arbitrary or internal displacement, and without 
having participated therein, either as principals or accomplices, took part 
subsequent to its commission in any of the following manner: 
(1) 
By themselves profiting from or assisting the offender to 
profit from the effects of the act or arbitrary internal 
displacement; 
(2) 
(3) 
By concealing the act of arbitrary internal displacement, 
and/or destroying the effects or instruments thereof, in order 
to prevent its discovery; 
By harboring, concealing, or assisting in the escape of the 
principal(s) in the act of arbitrary' internal displacement, 
provided the, accessory acts are done with the abuse of the 
official's public functions. 
d) The penalty of prision .correccionai shall be imposed upon those who 
threaten to commit the act of arbitrary internal displacement. 
8 


e) A public official or employee found criminally liable of having committed 
the prohibited acts provided for iii Sections 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of this Act shall also 
be held administratively liable. 
f) 
The accessory pena'ities pertaining to the penalties of reclusion 
temporal and prision mayor shall be imposed. 
g) The penalty of prision correccional shall be imposed upon those who 
violate any of the rights as provided in Sec. 8 of this Act. 
SEC. 11. Liability of Concerned Law Enforcement Agency. - Where the 
operation conducted by the military, police andlor other law enforcement 
agencies causes damage to internally displaced persons, the concerned military, 
police and/or other law enforcement agency shall provide jointly and severally the 
necessary financial assistance for the return, resettlement or local integration of 
internally displaced persons. 
SEC. 12 Jurisdiction of Courts. - The proper and competent civilian courts 
shall have jurisdiction over the offense of arbitrary displacement as defined and 
penalized in this Act. 
SEC. 13. Compensation. - The law enforcement agency/ies conducting 
the operation that caused arbitrary internal displacement, the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the local government unitls 
concerned shall award the following: 
1) 
Where death of ar.l individual victim occurs in the course of an 
operation conducted by the military, police andlor other law 
enforcement agencies, the amount of Fifty Thousand Pesos 
(P50,OOO.OO) shall be granted to the legal heirs of the victim by way 
of a death benefit; 
2) 
Where physical, emotional and/or psychological injury is caused to 
an individual victim in the course of an operation conducted by the 
military, police and/or other law enforcement agencies, actual and 
compensatory damages, including moral, nominal, exemplary, and 
temperate damages resulting from such injury, shall be reimbursed; 
and, 
. 
3) 
Where loss of or damage to property of an individual victim is 
caused in the course of an operation conducted by the military, 
police and/or other law enforcement agencies, the amount 
corresponding to the fair market value of the property lost or 
destroyed or the amount mutually agreed upon, whichever is 
higher, shall be paid to the victim. 
4) 
Non-state actors who caused arbitrary internal displacement shall 
be similarly held liable to pay the amounts as stated in Sec. 13 
herein. 
SEC. 14. Role of the Commission on Human Rights. - The Commission on 
Human Rights (CHR) shall be designated as the institutional focal point for 
internally displaced persons. As such, the CHR shall have the following 
additional functions: 
a) 
To monitor IDP conditions to ensure that their rights are respected 
and protected in all phases of displacement; 
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b) 
To conduct inquiries, document violations of human rights, assist 
lOPs in seeking redress of grievances and work to ensure an 
effective response by the concerned authorities; 
c) 
To investigate, on its own or on compliant by any party, all forms of 
human rights violations against lOPs involving civil and political 
rights in accordance with Section 18(1) of Article Xli of the 1987 
Constitution; 
d) 
To follow up on early warning and ensure effective measures to 
protect the civilian population against internal displacement; 
e) 
To advise the government on the rights of lOPs towards the 
shaping of a soun9 national policy and legislation to effectively 
address situations ~f internal displacement; 
f) 
To undertake educational activities and training programs for state 
authorities, including the armed forces; 
g) 
To hold public information drives on the protection and rights of 
lOPs; and 
h) 
To carry out such other acts that may be necessary to fully 
implement the purposes. 
SEC. 
15. 
Appropriations. 
-
The amount of Fifty Million 
Pesos 
(P50,OOO,OOO.OO) shall be appropriated to the Commission on Human Rights for 
the initial implementation of the provisions of this Act. The subsequent annual 
funding for the implementation of this Act shall be included in the General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 
16. 
Joint Congressional OverSight Committee. 
-
A 
Joint 
Congressional Oversight Committee is hereby created, composed of the 
Chairrnan of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and seven (7) 
other Senators designated by the Senate President, and the Chairman of the 
House Committee on Human Rights, and seven (7) other Members of the House 
of Representatives, designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives: 
Provided, That, of the seven (7) members to be designated by each House of 
Congress four (4) should represent the Majority and three (3) from the Minority. 
The Joint Congressional Oversight Committee shall have the power to 
review, revise, amend and approve the Implementing Rules and Regulations 
promulgated by the Commission on Human Rights. 
, 
The Joint Congressional Oversight Committee shall also have the power 
to inquire into, summon and investigate the Orders of Battle that are created 
pursuant to this Act, as well as the legal and factual justifications for the inclusion 
of specific persons and groups in the said Orders of Battle. In this regard, the 
Joint Congressional Oversight Committee may issue mandatory process 
directing the transmission of all such documents relevant and necessary for the 
Committee to determine the validity of the inclusion of specific persons or groups 
in the Orders of Battle. For this purpose, the highest ranking officers or heads of 
offices shall be charged with testifying before the Joint Congressional Oversight 
Committee in relation to any inquiries on the Orders of Battle. 
The defense of National Security may not prevent the Joint Congressional 
Oversight Committee from inquiring into the factual and/or legal bases for the 
10 


• 
creation of a specific Order of Battle or the inclusion of specific persons/groups in 
the said Orders of Battle. Should there be a need to inquire into the factual basis 
for the invocation of "national se.curity," the Committee shall adjourn the public 
hearing, convene in executive session and hear the factual basis for such 
invocation. Should the Committee be satisfied of the factual basis, the Committee 
will reflect this finding on the record. Should the basis not be satisfactory to the 
Committee, the public hearing will continue and the invocation may not be used 
as justification to prevent an inquiry into the factual or legal basis for the creation 
of the Order of Battle or the inclusion of specific names of persons or groups. 
SEC. 17. /mplementing Rules and Regulations. - The Commission on 
Human Rights shall coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development, Department of National Defense, Department of Interior and Local 
Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of 
Health, and shall likewise consult with the local government units and human 
rights non-governmental organizations and people's organizations. 
SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
memorandum orders, memorandum circulars, administrative orders, ordinances 
or any part thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are 
hereby deemed repealed or mOdified accordingly. 
SEC. 19. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not 
affected thereby shall remain in fyll force and effect. 
SEC. 20. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation. 
APPROVED. 
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