Integration of City/Municipal Police Forces, Jails and Fire Departments Within Greater Manila Area

March 21, 1974

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 421

INTEGRATION OF THE CITY/MUNICIPAL POLICE FORCES, JAILS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE GREATER MANILA AREA

WHEREAS, the fact that the seat of the National Government is within the Greater Manila Area makes it an important hub of governmental, economic, commercial, industrial, as well as diplomatic, tourists and other related but varied activities, which requires the conglomeration of large number of people, including foreigners;

WHEREAS, the proximity of centers of population, and the facility of means of transportation, aided by the existence of separate, independent police forces and facilities whose jurisdictions are restricted by political/territorial boundaries renders the Greater Manila Area a virtual haven for criminal elements, who pose a constant danger to the public safety, peace, order and tranquility of the inhabitants therein; cd

WHEREAS, such danger can be prevented, contained and eliminated only through a system of effective law-enforcement unhampered by political/territorial considerations or the lack of unity and coordination, not to mention the real or apparent rivalries, conflicts, jealousies and indifference among the city/municipal police forces operating in said area;

WHEREAS, effective law-enforcement can be attained only by integrating into and constituting as one unit the said police forces as well as the other facilities directly or indirectly connected with public safety and the maintenance or peace and order, particularly the city/municipal jails for the reformation/correction of offenders and fire departments for the prevention of conflagration that cause economic and social dislocations within the Greater Manila Area, in order that the same may be cohesively organized, better coordinated and effectively directed;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, in my capacity as Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines and pursuant to Proclamations No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972 and No. 1104, dated January 17, 1973 and General Order No. 1, dated September 22, 1972, do hereby order and decree, as follows:

SECTION 1. Integration of City/Municipal Police Forces, Jails and Fire Departments in the Greater Manila Area. — All laws to the contrary notwithstanding, the police forces, jails and fire departments of the Cities of Manila, Quezon, Caloocan and Pasay; and of the Municipalities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig, Navotas and Malabon of the province of Rizal; and of the Municipality of Valenzuela of the Province of Bulacan, as they are presently organized and constituted, are hereby integrated into a unit to be known as "METROPOLITAN POLICE FORCE", which shall be headed by the Commanding General, Philippine Constabulary Metropolitan Command (PC METROCOM). cd i

SECTION 2. Jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police. — The Metropolitan Police Force shall be responsible for the public safety and discharge the functions of the maintenance of peace, law and order within the territorial limits of the cities and municipalities mentioned in the preceding Section 1. As such it shall have the power to prevent crimes, take necessary measures for public safety, effect arrest of criminal offenders and investigate the commission of all crimes and offenses therein and bring the offenders to justice.

SECTION 3. Direction and Control Over the Metropolitan Police Force.— As head of the Metropolitan Police Force, the Commanding General, PC METROCOM shall have the power of direction and control thereof in the discharge of its functions as herein provided.

SECTION 4. Extent of Direction and Control. — The power of direction and control herein vested in the Commanding General, PC METROCOM shall include the power to direct and control the tactical, strategic movements, deployments, placements and/or utilization of the entire Metropolitan Police Force or any of its elements and components, equipment, facilities and other resources within its territorial jurisdiction; the training of the members thereof, and such other power that may be necessary to make operational direction and control real and effective.

SECTION 5. Power of Administrative Control and Supervision. — Administrative control and supervision over the several police forces, jails and fire departments composing the Metropolitan Police Force shall, prior to the transfer provided for in Section 6 hereof, remain with the offices, agencies and officials in which said power is vested in accordance with existing laws: Provided, That such power shall not be exercised in a manner that will adversely affect the integrity, capability and operational efficiency of the Metropolitan Police Force or any of its component/elements. Accordingly, administrative matters such as, appointment, promotion, suspension, separation and other administrative disciplinary action; grant payment of salary and/or allowances, compensation, leave and other benefits, logistical support, and such other matters pertaining to personnel administration, which are currently vested in and exercised by other officials pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations shall remain with said officials; Provided, That in case of conflict between the exercise of administrative supervision and control, on one hand and operational direction and control, on the other hand, the latter shall prevail.

SECTION 6. Administrative Supervision and Control to be Transferred to the Philippine Constabulary. — After one year, but not later than two years, from the effectivity of this Decree, the power of administrative control and supervision provided for in the preceding Section 5 shall be taken over and exercised by the Philippine Constabulary. For this purpose, the personnel, records, funds, property, equipment, facilities and other resources being used by the Metropolitan Police Force, including firearms, vehicles, communications and criminal laboratory facilities, if any, shall be transferred to the administration and custody of the Philippine Constabulary.

SECTION 7. Funding of the Metropolitan Police Force. — Effective upon the transfer of the power of administrative control and supervision over the Metropolitan Police Force to the Philippine Constabulary as herein provided, each city and municipality shall allocate not less than eighteen (18%) per centum of its annual budget as its contribution for the maintenance of the Metropolitan Police Force. The National Government shall provide subsidies and other types of fund support to insure a minimum standard salary for the members thereof and provide a modernization of their public safety equipment/installations in accordance with existing laws and policies or as may hereafter be provided.

SECTION 8. No Reduction in Salary. — This Decree shall be implemented in such manner that will not result, except for cause provided by law, in the reduction of salary among the personnel of the Manila Metropolitan Police Force.

SECTION 9. Chief of Constabulary to Promulgate Rules and Regulations. — The Chief of Constabulary shall, with the approval of the Secretary of National Defense, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Decree.

SECTION 10. Penal Provision. — Any person who obstructs or interferes with the implementation of this Decree or of the rules and regulations promulgated by the Chief of Constabulary in accordance herewith directly or indirectly shall upon conviction, suffer imprisonment of not less than three years nor more than six years and/or a fine of not less than five thousand pesos, but not more than ten thousand pesos at the discretion of the court.

When the offender is a public officer or employee, he may, in addition be disqualified from holding public office or employment for life.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. — The provisions of Republic Act No. 4864, otherwise known as the Police Act of 1966 as amended by Presidential Decrees No. 1, dated September 22, 1972; No. 12, dated September 24, 1972; No. 12-A, dated October 4, 1972; No. 12-B, dated October 28, 1972 and No. 170, dated April 4, 1973; the provisions of the City Charters of the Cities of Manila, Quezon, Caloocan, and Pasay; the pertinent provisions of the Revised Administrative Code, as amended, as well as all other provisions of existing laws, rules and regulations which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. — This Decree shall take effect upon approval. cdt

DONE in the City of Manila, this 21st day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Four.