Creating the Church-Police-Military Liaison Committee

November 23, 2009

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 847

CREATING THE CHURCH-POLICE-MILITARY-LIAISON COMMITTEE TO FORMULATE AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE CHURCH ON MATTERS CONCERNING PEACE AND ORDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS

WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution protects and forever allows the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference;

WHEREAS, the State recognizes the indispensable role of the Church in the alleviation of poverty, the upholding of justice and the protection of human rights;

WHEREAS, the State and the Church have established various fora for coordination to seek lasting solutions for peace and order issues and human rights;

WHEREAS, it is essential for the State and the Church to institutionalize this partnership based on mutual respect and reverence for more effective cooperation and coordination.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Organization. — The Church-Police-Military Liaison Committee (CPMLC) is hereby created under the Office of the President to formulate and implement a comprehensive program to establish strong partnership between the State and the Church.

SECTION 2. Composition and Leadership. — The CPMLC shall be headed by a Chairman to be appointed by the President with the rank of Secretary, with the Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Chief, National Prosecution Service (NPS), as members. The rest of the membership of the CPMLC shall, upon invitation of the President, be composed of the following religious aggrupations:

a. One (1) representative from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines;

b. One (1) representative from the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches;

c. One (1) representative from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines;

d. One (1) representative from Ulama-Bishops Conference; and

e. Representatives from other religious aggrupations or faith-based organizations as determined by the President.

SECTION 3. Powers and Functions. — The CPMLC shall have, among others, the following powers and functions:

a. Design and implement appropriate procedures and mechanisms for effective coordination between the Church and the State to eradicate misunderstanding and antagonism between them on peace and order and human rights issues.

b. Conduct seminars, interfaith dialogues, workshops and capacity building programs that will inculcate mutual respect and reverence among the military, the police, the Church, and faith-based organizations.

c. Undertake research and studies whereby the police, military and the church may mutually engage in projects and opportunities for the promotion of life, peace and justice; protection of human rights; sanctuary programs; and the prevention of and solution to the so-called "extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances".

d. Select personnel from the PNP, AFP and NPS for detail in the CPMLC Secretariat.

e. Perform such other functions and carry out activities as may be directed by the President.

SECTION 4. Secretariat. — There shall be a Secretariat headed by an Executive Director with the rank of Undersecretary to be appointed by the President who will handle the administrative, operational and technical requirements and activities of the Committee.

SECTION 5. Assistance from Government Agencies. — All government agencies are directed to actively cooperate and support the CPMLC. The CPMLC may call upon any agency of the government for assistance and cooperation in the discharge of its functions.

SECTION 6. Funding. — Subject to government accounting and auditing procedures, the CPMLC shall be provided with an initial allocation of Ten Million Pesos (Php10,000,000.00) for CY 2009, to be drawn from the President's Contingency Fund and from government savings. Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be incorporated in the budget proposal of the Office of the President.

SECTION 7. Any portion or provision of this Executive Order that maybe declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying its other portions or provisions, as long as such remaining portions can still be given effect.

SECTION 8. All executive orders, rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order, are hereby revoked, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. This Executive Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days immediately following its publication in a national newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 23rd day of November, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.