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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
'10 
NOV 18 
A11 :37 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
HECFJVED BY:-@:--
S. B. No. 2599 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Illegal logging is destroying our forests. Flashfloods and landslides, caused by 
this illegal activity, have become frequent occurrences which are alarming. 
Thus, this bill seeks to amend Section 80 of Presidential Decree No. 705, 
otherwise known as the "Forestry Code of the Philippines", as amended by Presidential 
Decree No. 1775, where the local government shares the responsibility of combating 
illegal logging. 
Its objective is to strengthen forest protection measures and law enforcement 
efforts, as it mobilizes barangay officials to help the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources and the Philippine National Police in protecting our forest. 
Under the Bill, in addition to 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 complaint with the appropriate official authorized 
by law to conduct preliminary investigation of criminal cases, any person who has 
committed or is committing, or attempting to commit in his presence an offense defined 
in the forestry law, subject to Section 5, Rule 113 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 2599 
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'10 
NOV 18 All :37 
HECEIVED BY:-@:.-
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT 
TO PROTECT PHILIPPINE FORESTS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 80 
OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 705, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED 
FORESTRY CODE OF THE PHILPPINES, 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: 
"Section 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 Constabularyllntegrated National Police) shall arrest even 
without warrant any person who has committed 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 PROCEDURE. 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 BARAN GAY 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 complaint 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 DEPUTIZED 
OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF ANY AGENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT 
(or any personnel of the Philippine Constabularyllntegrated 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/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 / 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." 
Section 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. 
SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, executive issuances, 
rules and regulations or part thereof inconsistent or contrary to the provisions of this Act, 
are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 4. Separability Clause. In case any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby 
shall continue in full force and effect. 
SECT10N 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its 
publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved.