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MALACAÑANG
Manila
BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER No. 157
CREATING AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO ADDRESS MEDIA AND
ACTIVIST KILLINGS
WHEREAS,
the
Philippines is a bastion of human rights;
WHEREAS,
the
Arroyo Administration stopped judicial executions with
the abolition of death penalty;
WHEREAS,
the
Arroyo Administration condemns political killings in the
harshest possible terms;
WHEREAS,
the
Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police
have been given a 10-week deadline to jail suspects in
at least 10 media or leftists killings.
WHEREAS,
the
investigations shall not spare any sector;
WHEREAS,
this
task requires the cooperation not only on the part of
law enforcement authorities and the military, but also
among the families of the victims and other sectors
concerned;
WHEREAS,
witnesses are urged to come forward;
NOW, THEREFORE I, GLORIA M. ARROYO,
President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers
vested in me by law, do hereby order:
SECTION 1. Creation and Mandate –
There
is hereby Created An Independent Commission to Address
Media and Activist Killings
SEC. 2.
Composition - The
Commission shall be composed of the following:
a)
Retired Supreme Court Justice Jose Melo as chairman;
b) The Director of the National Bureau of Investigation
(NBI);
c) The Chief State Prosecutor;
d) University of the Philippines Regent Nelia Gonzalez;
and
e) One representative from civil society to be appointed
by the President;
f) Atty. Rogelio Vinluan as General Counsel.
SEC. 3. Duties and Functions –
The
Commission shall have, among others, the following
duties and functions:
-
Prioritize and focus investigation of media and
activist killings:
-
Be
the Government’s sole voice on the issue of media
and activist killings;
-
Make a report to the President outlining its action
and policy recommendations including appropriate
prosecution and legislative proposals, if any aimed
at eradicating the root causes of extrajudicial
killings and breaking such cycle of violence once
and for all.
SEC. 4. Prosecution –
The
Government members of the Commission, namely the NBI
Director and the Chief State Prosecutor, shall form a
team to prioritize the prosecution of media and activist
killings which shall be mandated to put the murderers
behind bar at the soonest possible time.
SEC. 5. Powers –
The
Commission shall have, among others, the following
powers:
a)
It shall have all the powers of an investigative body
under Section 37, Chapter 9, Book I of the
Administrative Code of 1987, including the power to
summon witnesses, administer oath, take testimony or
evidence relevant to the investigation and to issue
compulsory processes to produce documents, books,
records and such other matters in the performance of its
functions;
b) It shall have the power to clear or disapprove all
pertinent media statements by any member of the
Administration;
c) It shall have the power to promulgate the necessary
implementing rules and regulations as may be necessary
to carry out the provisions of this Administrative
Order;
d) It shall have the power to call upon any agency of
the Government for such assistance as it may require in
the discharge of its functions;
e) It shall have the power to engage the services of
resource persons, professionals and other personnel
which may be necessary to carry out its functions;
f) It shall have the power to deputize the Armed Forces
of the Philippines, the National Bureau of
Investigation, the Philippine National Police, the
Department of Justice, and any other law enforcement
agency to assist it in the performance of its functions;
g) It shall have the power to perform any other acts as
may be necessary and appropriate to implement this
Order.
SEC. 6. General Counsel –
Atty.
Rogelio Vinluan shall serve as General Counsel to assist
the Commission in the discharge of its functions.
SEC. 7. Secretariat –
The
Commission shall be an independent body. It shall be
supported by a Secretariat composed of technical and
administrative personnel which shall provide staff
support to the Commission.
SEC. 8. Funding –
The
Office of the President shall provide the funds for the
operation of the Commission.
SEC. 9. Agencies’ Support –
The
various departments, bureaus, offices, agencies or
instrumentalities including government-owned or –
controlled corporations are hereby directed to extend
such assistance and cooperation as the Commission may
need in the discharge of its functions.
SEC. 10. Effectivity –
This
Administrative Order shall take effect immediately upon
its publication in a national newspaper of general
circulation.
DONE,
in the
City of Manila, this 21st day of August, in
the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Six.
(Sgd.)
GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
By
the President:
(Sgd.)
EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary
http://www.ops.gov.ph/records/ao_no157.htm
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