Republic Act No. 8438 (1997)
Congress of the Philippines
Article XII

Source: Official Gazette. Vol. 94, No. 20. Manila. National Printing Office. 1998. p. 3547.

4565376Republic Act No. 8438 — Article XII1997Congress of the Philippines

Article—XII

Peace and Order

Section 1. (a) The Cordillera Assembly shall enact necessary measures to promote and maintain peace and order and public safety in the region.

(b) The assembly shall, subject to the provisions of the Constitution and existing laws, create a Cordillera Regional Security Force taking into consideration indigenous and nonindigenous structures.

Sec. 2. The Cordillera Assembly shall, by law, create a regional police force as an integral part of the Philippine National Police under the administration and control of the National Police Commission. It shall be headed by a police commissioner with two (2) deputies, who shall be inhabitants of the autonomous region, to be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Cordillera Governor.

Sec. 3. The regional police shall be under the supervision of the Cordillera Governor: Provided, that city or municipal mayors, who are hereby constituted as ex officio representatives of the National Police Commission, shall have operational control and supervision of the police force within their constituent units in accordance with law and appropriate rules and regulations.

Sec. 4. The defense and security of the autonomous region shall be the responsibility of the national government. Towards this end, there is hereby created a Regional Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the autonomous region, which shall be organized, maintained and utilized in accordance with national laws. The national government shall have the authority to station and deploy in the autonomous region sufficient elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines: Provided, That inhabitants of the autonomous region shall be given preference in assignments therein.

Sec. 5. The provisions of the preceding sections notwithstanding, the Cordillera Governor may request the President of the Philippines to call upon the Armed Forces of the Philippines:

(a) To prevent or suppress lawlessness, violence, invasion or rebellion, when the public safety so requires, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution;

(b) To suppress the danger to or breach of peace in the area of autonomy, when the police forces of the autonomous region are not able to do so; and

(c) To avert any imminent danger to public order and security in the area of autonomy.

Sec. 6. The regional government shall recognize indigenous structures or systems found to be acceptable and effective in the promotion of peace and order in the region.

This work is in the public domain because it is a work of the Philippine government (see Republic Act No. 8293 Sec. 176).

All official Philippine texts of a legislative, administrative, or judicial nature, or any official translation thereof, are ineligible for copyright.

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