Administrative Code of 1987/Book IV/Title VIII/Subtitle II/Chapter 8

by Corazon Aquino

Layout 2

Chapter 8—Major Services

Sec. 46. Organization.—The Major Services shall be organized by the Chief of Staff in accordance with the policies laid down by the Secretary of National Defense. The commanders of the Major Services shall hold such grade as provided by law, and shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary of National Defense.

Sec. 47. General Provisions.—The Secretary of National Defense, upon recommendation of the Chief of Staff, AFP, shall assign to the Major Services specific functions in support of the overall responsibilities of the AFP and the Department.

Sec. 48. The Philippine Army.—The Philippine Army shall be responsible for the conduct of operations on land, in coordination with the other Major Services. It shall be organized as prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense, upon recommendation of the Chief of Staff.

Sec. 49. Functions.—The Philippine Army shall:

(1) Organize, train and equip forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained operations on land;

(2) Prepare such units as may be necessary for the effective prosecution of the national defense plans and programs and armed forces missions, including the expansion of the peacetime army component to meet any emergency;

(3) Develop, in coordination with the other Major Services, tactics, techniques and equipment of interest to the army for field operations;

(4) Organize, train and equip all army reserve units; and

(5) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by higher authorities.

Sec. 50. The Philippine Air Force.—The Philippine Air Force shall be responsible for the air defense of the Philippines. It shall be organized as prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense, upon recommendation of the Chief of Staff.

Sec. 51. Functions.—The Philippine Air Force shall:

(1) Organize, train, and equip forces for prompt and sustained air operations for the defense of the Philippines;

(2) Organize, train, and equip for airlift, airborne and tactical air operations unilaterally or in coordination with surface forces;

(3) Formulate and develop doctrines, concepts, systems, policies, procedures, strategies, tactics and techniques for operations peculiar to the Air Force;

(4) Organize, train, and equip all air force reserve units; and

(5) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by higher authorities.

Sec. 52. The Philippine Navy.—The Philippine Navy shall be responsible for the naval defense of the Philippines. It shall be organized as prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense, upon recommendation of the Chief of Staff.

Sec. 53. Functions.—The Philippine Navy shall:

(1) Organize, train and equip forces for prompt and sustained naval operations;

(2) Prepare the necessary naval units for the effective enforcement of all applicable laws upon the Philippine seas and waters, the prosecution of national defense plans and programs and armed forces missions, including the expansion of a peacetime navy component to meet any emergency;

(3) Formulate and develop doctrines, concepts, systems, policies, procedures, strategies, tactics and techniques for operations peculiar to the Navy;

(4) Enforce laws and regulations pertaining to navigation safety of life at sea, immigration, customs, revenues, narcotics, quarantine, fishing and neutrality of the territorial contiguous waters of the Philippines;

(5) Organize, train and equip all naval reserve units; and

(6) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by higher authorities.

Sec. 54. The Philippine Coast Guard.—The Philippine Coast Guard shall remain as a major subordinate unit of the Philippine Navy and assigned functions pertaining to safety of life at sea as vested in it by law.

Sec. 55. The Philippine Constabulary.—Unless otherwise provided by law, the Philippine Constabulary, as the national police force, shall be primarily responsible for the preservation of peace and order and the enforcement of laws throughout the Philippines. It shall be organized, trained and equipped primarily as a law enforcement agency. It shall be organized as prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense, upon recommendation of the Chief of Staff.

Sec. 56. Functions.—(1) The Philippine Constabulary shall:

(a) Prevent and suppress lawless violence, rebellion, insurrection, riots, brigandage, breaches of the peace and other disturbances, and see to it that perpetrators of those offenses are brought to justice;

(b) Organize, train, equip and prepare its forces for effective law enforcement operations and police duties;

(c) Organize, train and equip constabulary draftees, reservists and reserve units;

(d) Develop tactics, techniques, organization, weapons, equipment and supplies essential to the accomplishment of its missions; and

(e) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by higher authorities.

(2) In times of war or national emergency, the Philippine Constabulary or any of its subordinate units may be employed jointly with, or in support of the operations of, the other Major Services, as the President may direct.

Sec. 57. Authority of Constabulary Officers and Enlisted Personnel.—(1) Commissioned officers and enlisted personnel of the Philippine Constabulary, as peace officers, shall execute lawful warrants and orders of arrest issued against any person for any violation of law.

(2) The Philippine Constabulary shall have police jurisdiction throughout the Philippines.

(3) When the constabulary forces in any area are unable to cope effectively with violations of law, the Secretary of National Defense in accordance with the policies or directives of the President, may assign or detail commissioned officers and enlisted personnel of the Army, Air Force, or Navy, to the Philippine Constabulary or any of its subordinate units. The officers and enlisted personnel so assigned or detailed shall have the authority and duties of peace officers and shall be governed by the provisions of this section for the duration of their assignment or detail.