[REPUBLIC ACT NO.

9372]

AN ACT TO SECURE THE STATE AND PROTECT OUR PEOPLE FROM

TERRORISM

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall henceforth be known as the “Human Security
Act of 2007.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is declared a policy of the State to protect life,

liberty, and property from acts of terrorism, to condemn terrorism as inimical and
dangerous to the national security of the country and to the welfare of the people, and
to make terrorism a crime against the Filipino people, against humanity, and against
the law of nations.

In the implementation of the policy stated above, the State shall uphold the basic rights
and fundamental liberties of the people as enshrined in the Constitution.

The State recognizes that the fight against terrorism requires a comprehensive
approach, comprising political, economic, diplomatic, military, and legal means duly
taking into account the root causes of terrorism without acknowledging these as
justifications for terrorist and/or criminal activities. Such measures shall include conflict
management and post-conflict peace-building, addressing the roots of conflict by
building state capacity and promoting equitable economic development.

Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted as a curtailment, restriction or diminution of

constitutionally recognized powers of the executive branch of the government. It is to
be understood, however that the exercise of the constitutionally recognized powers of
the executive department of the government shall not prejudice respect for human
rights which shall be absolute and protected at all times.

SEC. 3. Terrorism. — Any person who commits an act punishable under any of the
following provisions of the Revised Penal Code:

a. Article 122 (Piracy in General and Mutiny in the High Seas or in the Philippine
Waters);

b. Article 134 (Rebellion or Insurrection);

c. Article 134-a (Coup d’Etat), including acts committed by private persons;

d. Article 248 (Murder);

e. Article 267 (Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention);

f. Article 324 (Crimes Involving Destruction), or under

(1) Presidential Decree No. 1613 (The Law on Arson);

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(2) Republic Act No. 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste
Control Act of 1990);

(3) Republic Act No. 5207, (Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act of 1968);

(4) Republic Act No. 6235 (Anti-Hijacking Law);

(5) Presidential Decree No. 532 (Anti-Piracy and Anti-Highway Robbery Law of 1974);
and,

(6) Presidential Decree No. 1866, as amended (Decree Codifying the Laws on Illegal
and Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Dealing in, Acquisition or Disposition of
Firearms, Ammunitions or Explosives)

thereby sowing and creating a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and
panic among the populace, in order to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful
demand shall be guilty of the crime of terrorism and shall suffer the penalty of forty (40)
years of imprisonment, without the benefit of parole as provided for under Act No.
4103, otherwise known as the Indeterminate Sentence Law, as amended.

SEC. 4. Conspiracy to Commit Terrorism. — Persons who conspire to commit the

crime of terrorism shall suffer the penalty of forty (40) years of imprisonment.

There is conspiracy when two or more persons come to an agreement concerning the
commission of the crime of terrorism as defined in Section 3 hereof and decide to
commit the same.

SEC. 5. Accomplice. — Any person who, not being a principal under Article 17 of the
Revised Penal Code or a conspirator as defined in Section 4 hereof, cooperates in the
execution of either the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism by previous
or simultaneous acts shall suffer the penalty of from seventeen (17) years, four months
one day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 6. Accessory. — Any person who, having knowledge of the commission of the
crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism, and without having participated
therein, either as principal or accomplice under Articles 17 and 18 of the Revised Penal
Code, takes part subsequent to its commission in any of the following manner: (a) by
profiting himself or assisting the offender to profit by the effects of the crime; (b) by
concealing or destroying the body of the crime, or the effects, or instruments thereof, in
order to prevent its discovery; (c) by harboring, concealing, or assisting in the escape
of the principal or conspirator of the crime, shall suffer the penalty of ten (10) years and
one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

Notwithstanding the above paragraph, the penalties prescribed for accessories shall
not be imposed upon those who are such with respect to their spouses, ascendants,
descendants, legitimate, natural, and adopted brothers and sisters, or relatives by
affinity within the same degrees, with the single exception of accessories falling within
the provisions of subparagraph (a).

SEC. 7. Surveillance of Suspects and Interception and Recording of Communications.

— The provisions of Republic Act No. 4200 (Anti-Wire Tapping Law) to the contrary

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notwithstanding, a police or law enforcement official and the members of his team may,
upon a written order of the Court of Appeals, listen to, intercept and record, with the
use of any mode, form, kind or type of electronic or other surveillance equipment or
intercepting and tracking devices, or with the use of any other suitable ways and
means for that purpose, any communication, message, conversation, discussion, or
spoken or written words between members of a judicially declared and outlawed
terrorist organization, association, or group of persons or of any person charged with or
suspected of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism.

Provided, That surveillance, interception and recording of communications between

lawyers and clients, doctors and patients, journalists and their sources and confidential
business correspondence shall not be authorized.

SEC. 8. Formal Application for Judicial Authorization. — The written order of the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals to track down, tap, listen to, intercept, and
record communications, messages, conversations, discussions, or spoken or written
words of any person suspected of the crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to
commit terrorism shall only be granted by the authorizing division of the Court of
Appeals upon an ex parte written application of a police or of a law enforcement official
who has been duly authorized in writing by the Anti-Terrorism Council created in
Section 53 of this Act to file such ex parte application, and upon examination under
oath or affirmation of the applicant and the witnesses he may produce to establish: (a)
that there is probable cause to believe based on personal knowledge of facts or
circumstances that the said crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism has
been committed, or is being committed, or is about to be committed; (b) that there is
probable cause to believe based on personal knowledge of facts or circumstances that
evidence, which is essential to the conviction of any charged or suspected person for,
or to the solution or prevention of, any such crimes, will be obtained; and, (c) that there
is no other effective means readily available for acquiring such evidence.

SEC. 9. Classification and Contents of the Order of the Court. — The written order
granted by the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals as well as its order, if any, to
extend or renew the same, the original application of the applicant, including his
application to extend or renew, if any, and the written authorizations of the Anti-
Terrorism Council shall be deemed and are hereby declared as classified information:
Provided, That the person being surveilled or whose communications, letters, papers,
messages, conversations, discussions, spoken or written words and effects have been
monitored, listened to, bugged or recorded by law enforcement authorities has the right
to be informed of the acts done by the law enforcement authorities in the premises or
to challenge, if he or she intends to do so, the legality of the interference before the
Court of Appeals which issued the written order. The written order of the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals shall specify the following: (a) the identity, such as
name and address, if known, of the charged or suspected person whose
communications, messages, conversations, discussions, or spoken or written words
are to be tracked down, tapped, listened to, intercepted, and recorded and, in the case
of radio, electronic, or telephonic (whether wireless or otherwise) communications,
messages, conversations, discussions, or spoken or written words, the electronic
transmission systems or the telephone numbers to be tracked down, tapped, listened
to, intercepted, and recorded and their locations or if the person suspected of the crime
of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism is not fully known, such person shall be
subject to continuous surveillance provided there is a reasonable ground to do so; (b)

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the identity (name, address, and the police or law enforcement organization) of the
police or of the law enforcement official, including the individual identity (names,
addresses, and the police or law enforcement organization) of the members of his
team, judicially authorized to track down, tap, listen to, intercept, and record the
communications, messages, conversations, discussions, or spoken or written words;
(c) the offense or offenses committed, or being committed, or sought to be prevented;
and, (d) the length of time within which the authorization shall be used or carried out.

SEC. 10. Effective Period of Judicial Authorization. — Any authorization granted by the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals, pursuant to Section 9(d) of this Act, shall
only be effective for the length of time specified in the written order of the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals, which shall not exceed a period of thirty (30) days
from the date of receipt of the written order of the authorizing division of the Court of
Appeals by the applicant police or law enforcement official.

The authorizing division of the Court of Appeals may extend or renew the said
authorization for another non-extendible period, which shall not exceed thirty (30) days
from the expiration of the original period: Provided, That the authorizing division of the
Court of Appeals is satisfied that such extension or renewal is in the public interest:
and Provided, further, That the ex parte application for extension or renewal, which
must be filed by the original applicant, has been duly authorized in writing by the Anti-
Terrorism Council.

In case of death of the original applicant or in case he is physically disabled to file the
application for extension or renewal, the one next in rank to the original applicant
among the members of the team named in the original written order of the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals shall file the application for extension or renewal:
Provided, That, without prejudice to the liability of the police or law enforcement
personnel under Section 20 hereof, the applicant police or law enforcement official
shall have thirty (30) days after the termination of the period granted by the Court of
Appeals as provided in the preceding paragraphs within which to file the appropriate
case before the Public Prosecutor’s Office for any violation of this Act.

If no case is filed within the thirty (30)-day period, the applicant police or law
enforcement official shall immediately notify the person subject of the surveillance,
interception and recording of the termination of the said surveillance, interception and
recording. The penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of
imprisonment shall be imposed upon the applicant police or law enforcement official
who fails to notify the person subject of the surveillance, monitoring, interception and
recording as specified above.

SEC. 11. Custody of Intercepted and Recorded Communications. — All tapes, discs,
and recordings made pursuant to the authorization of the authorizing division of the
Court of Appeals, including all excerpts and summaries thereof as well as all written
notes or memoranda made in connection therewith, shall, within forty-eight (48) hours
after the expiration of the period fixed in the written order of the authorizing division of
the Court of Appeals or within forty-eight (48) hours after the expiration of any
extension or renewal granted by the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals, be
deposited with the authorizing Division of the Court of Appeals in a sealed envelope or
sealed package, as the case may be, and shall be accompanied by a joint affidavit of
the applicant police or law enforcement official and the members of his team.

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In case of death of the applicant or in case he is physically disabled to execute the
required affidavit, the one next in rank to the applicant among the members of the team
named in the written order of the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals shall
execute with the members of the team that required affidavit.

It shall be unlawful for any person, police officer or any custodian of the tapes, discs
and recording, and their excerpts and summaries, written notes or memoranda to copy
in whatever form, to remove, delete, expunge, incinerate, shred or destroy in any
manner the items enumerated above in whole or in part under any pretext whatsoever.

Any person who removes, deletes, expunges, incinerates, shreds or destroys the items
enumerated above shall suffer a penalty of not less than six years and one day to
twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 12. Contents of Joint Affidavit. — The joint affidavit of the police or of the law
enforcement official and the individual members of his team shall state: (a) the number
of tapes, discs, and recordings that have been made, as well as the number of
excerpts and summaries thereof and the number of written notes and memoranda, if
any, made in connection therewith; (b) the dates and times covered by each of such
tapes, discs, and recordings; (c) the number of tapes, discs, and recordings, as well as
the number of excerpts and summaries thereof and the number of written notes and
memoranda made in connection therewith that have been included in the deposit; and
(d) the date of the original written authorization granted by the Anti-Terrorism Council
to the applicant to file the ex parte application to conduct the tracking down, tapping,
intercepting, and recording, as well as the date of any extension or renewal of the
original written authority granted by the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals.

The joint affidavit shall also certify under oath that no duplicates or copies of the whole
or any part of any of such tapes, discs, and recordings, and that no duplicates or
copies of the whole or any part of any of such excerpts, summaries, written notes, and
memoranda, have been made, or, if made, that all such duplicates and copies are
included in the sealed envelope or sealed package, as the case may be, deposited
with the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals.

It shall be unlawful for any person, police or law enforcement official to omit or exclude
from the joint affidavit any item or portion thereof mentioned in this Section.

Any person, police or law enforcement officer who violates any of the acts prescribed in
the preceding paragraph shall suffer the penalty of not less than ten (10) years and
one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 13. Disposition of Deposited Material. — The sealed envelope or sealed package
and the contents thereof, which are deposited with the authorizing division of the Court
of Appeals, shall be deemed and are hereby declared classified information, and the
sealed envelope or sealed package shall not be opened and its contents (including the
tapes, discs, and recordings and all the excerpts and summaries thereof and the notes
and memoranda made in connection therewith) shall not be divulged, revealed, read,
replayed, or used as evidence unless authorized by written order of the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals, which written order shall be granted only upon a
written application of the Department of Justice filed before the authorizing division of

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the Court of Appeals and only upon a showing that the Department of Justice has been
duly authorized in writing by the Anti-Terrorism Council to file the application with
proper written notice the person whose conversation, communication, message
discussion or spoken or written words have been the subject of surveillance,
monitoring, recording and interception to open, reveal, divulge, and use the contents of
the sealed envelope or sealed package as evidence.

Any person, law enforcement official or judicial authority who violates his duty to notify
in writing the persons subject of the surveillance as defined above shall suffer the
penalty of six years and one day to eight years of imprisonment.

SEC. 14. Application to Open Deposited Sealed Envelope or Sealed Package. — The
written application with notice to the party concerned to open the deposited sealed
envelope or sealed package shall clearly state the purpose or reason: (a) for opening
the sealed envelope or sealed package; (b) for revealing or disclosing its classified
contents; (c) for replaying, divulging, and or reading any of the listened to, intercepted,
and recorded communications, messages, conversations, discussions, or spoken or
written words (including any of the excerpts and summaries thereof and any of the
notes or memoranda made in connection therewith); and, (d) for using any of said
listened to, intercepted, and recorded communications, messages, conversations,
discussions, or spoken or written words (including any of the excerpts and summaries
thereof and any of the notes or memoranda made in connection therewith) as
evidence.

Any person, law enforcement official or judicial authority who violates his duty to notify
as defined above shall suffer the penalty of six years and one day to eight years of
imprisonment.

SEC. 15. Evidentiary Value of Deposited Materials. — Any listened to, intercepted, and
recorded communications, messages, conversations, discussions, or spoken or written
words, or any part or parts thereof, or any information or fact contained therein,
including their existence, content, substance, purport, effect, or meaning, which have
been secured in violation of the pertinent provisions of this Act, shall absolutely not be
admissible and usable as evidence against anybody in any judicial, quasi-judicial,
legislative, or administrative investigation, inquiry, proceeding, or hearing.

SEC. 16. Penalty for Unauthorized or Malicious Interceptions and/or Recordings. —

Any police or law enforcement personnel who, not being authorized to do so by the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals, tracks down, taps, listens to, intercepts,
and records in whatever manner or form any communication, message, conversation,
discussion, or spoken or written word of a person charged with or suspected of the
crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism shall be guilty of an
offense and shall suffer the penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years
of imprisonment.

In addition to the liability attaching to the offender for the commission of any other
offense, the penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment
and the accessory penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification from public office shall
be imposed upon any police or law enforcement personnel who maliciously obtained
an authority from the Court of Appeals to track down, tap, listen to, intercept, and
record in whatever manner or form any communication, message, conversation,

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discussion, or spoken or written words of a person charged with or suspected of the
crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism: Provided, That notwithstanding
Section 13 of this Act, the party aggrieved by such authorization shall be allowed
access to the sealed envelope or sealed package and the contents thereof as
evidence for the prosecution of any police or law enforcement personnel who
maliciously procured said authorization.

SEC. 17. Proscription of Terrorist Organizations, Association, or Group of Persons. —

Any organization, association, or group of persons organized for the purpose of
engaging in terrorism, or which, although not organized for that purpose, actually uses
the acts to terrorize mentioned in this Act or to sow and create a condition of
widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace in order to coerce
the government to give in to an unlawful demand shall, upon application of the
Department of Justice before a competent Regional Trial Court, with due notice and
opportunity to be heard given to the organization, association, or group of persons
concerned, be declared as a terrorist and outlawed organization, association, or group
of persons by the said Regional Trial Court.

SEC. 18. Period of Detention Without Judicial Warrant of Arrest. — The provisions of
Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code to the contrary notwithstanding, any police or
law enforcement personnel, who, having been duly authorized in writing by the Anti-
Terrorism Council has taken custody of a person charged with or suspected of the
crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism shall, without incurring
any criminal liability for delay in the delivery of detained persons to the proper judicial
authorities, deliver said charged or suspected person to the proper judicial authority
within a period of three days counted from the moment the said charged or suspected
person has been apprehended or arrested, detained, and taken into custody by the
said police, or law enforcement personnel: Provided, That the arrest of those
suspected of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism must result from
the surveillance under Section 7 and examination of bank deposits under Section 27 of
this Act.

The police or law enforcement personnel concerned shall, before detaining the person
suspected of the crime of terrorism, present him or her before any judge at the latter’s
residence or office nearest the place where the arrest took place at any time of the day
or night. It shall be the duty of the judge, among other things, to ascertain the identity
of the police or law enforcement personnel and the person or persons they have
arrested and presented before him or her, to inquire of them the reasons why they
have arrested the person and determine by questioning and personal observation
whether or not the suspect has been subjected to any physical, moral or psychological
torture by whom and why. The judge shall then submit a written report of what he/she
had observed when the subject was brought before him to the proper court that has
jurisdiction over the case of the person thus arrested. The judge shall forthwith submit
his/her report within three calendar days from the time the suspect was brought to
his/her residence or office.

Immediately after taking custody of a person charged with or suspected of the crime of
terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism, the police or law enforcement personnel
shall notify in writing the judge of the court nearest the place of apprehension or arrest:
Provided, That where the arrest is made during Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or after

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office hours, the written notice shall be served at the residence of the judge nearest the
place where the accused was arrested.

The penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment shall
be imposed upon the police or law enforcement personnel who fails to notify and judge
as provided in the preceding paragraph.

SEC. 19. Period of Detention in the Event of an Actual or Imminent Terrorist Attack. —
In the event of an actual or imminent terrorist attack, suspects may not be detained for
more than three days without the written approval of a municipal, city, provincial or
regional official of a Human Rights Commission or judge of the municipal, regional trial
court, the Sandiganbayan or a justice of the Court of Appeals nearest the place of the
arrest. If the arrest is made during Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or after office hours,
the arresting police or law enforcement personnel shall bring the person thus arrested
to the residence of any of the officials mentioned above that is nearest the place where
the accused was arrested. The approval in writing of any of the said officials shall be
secured by the police or law enforcement personnel concerned within five days after
the date of the detention of the persons concerned: Provided, however, That within
three days after the detention the suspects, whose connection with the terror attack or
threat is not established, shall be released immediately.

SEC. 20. Penalty for Failure to Deliver Suspect to the Proper Judicial Authority within
Three Days. — The penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of
imprisonment shall be imposed upon any police or law enforcement personnel who has
apprehended or arrested, detained and taken custody of a person charged with or
suspected of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism and fails to
deliver such charged or suspected person to the proper judicial authority within the
period of three days.

SEC. 21. Rights of a Person under Custodial Detention. — The moment a person
charged with or suspected of the crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to
commit terrorism is apprehended or arrested and detained, he shall forthwith be
informed, by the arresting police or law enforcement officers or by the police or law
enforcement officers to whose custody the person concerned is brought, of his or her
right: (a) to be informed of the nature and cause of his arrest, to remain silent and to
have competent and independent counsel preferably of his choice. If the person cannot
afford the services of counsel of his or her choice, the police or law enforcement
officers concerned shall immediately contact the free legal assistance unit of the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) or the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO). It shall be
the duty of the free legal assistance unit of the IBP or the PAO thus contacted to
immediately visit the person(s) detained and provide him or her with legal assistance.
These rights cannot be waived except in writing and in the presence of the counsel of
choice; (b) informed of the cause or causes of his detention in the presence of his legal
counsel; (c) allowed to communicate freely with his legal counsel and to confer with
them at any time without restriction; (d) allowed to communicate freely and privately
without restrictions with the members of his family or with his nearest relatives and to
be visited by them; and, (e) allowed freely to avail of the service of a physician or
physicians of choice.

SEC. 22. Penalty for Violation of the Rights of a Detainee. — Any police or law
enforcement personnel, or any personnel of the police or other law enforcement

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custodial unit that violates any of the aforesaid rights of a person charged with or
suspected of the crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism shall
be guilty of an offense and shall suffer the penalty of ten (10) years and one day to
twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

Unless the police or law enforcement personnel who violated the rights of a detainee or
detainees as stated above is duly identified, the same penalty shall be imposed on the
police officer or hear or leader of the law enforcement unit having custody of the
detainee at the time the violation was done.

SEC. 23. Requirement for an Official Custodial Logbook and its Contents. — The
police or other law enforcement custodial unit in whose care and control the person
charged with or suspected of the crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to
commit terrorism has been placed under custodial arrest and detention shall keep a
securely and orderly maintained official logbook, which is hereby declared as a public
document and opened to and made available for the inspection and scrutiny of the
lawyer or lawyers of the person under custody or any member of his or her family or
relative by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree or his or her physician
at any time of the day or night without any form of restriction. The logbook shall contain
a clear and concise record of: (a) the name, description, and address of the detained
person; (b) the date and exact time of his initial admission for custodial arrest and
detention; (c) the name and address of the physician or physicians who examined him
physically and medically; (d) the state of his health and physical condition at the time of
his initial admission for custodial detention; (e) the date and time of each removal of
the detained person from his cell for interrogation or for any purpose; (f) the date and
time of his return to his cell; (g) the name and address of the physician or physicians
who physically and medically examined him after each interrogation; (h) a summary of
the physical and medical findings on the detained person after each of such
interrogation; (i) the names and addresses of his family members and nearest
relatives, if any and if available; (j) the names and addresses of persons who visit the
detained person; (k) the date and time of each of such visits; (1) the date and time of
each request of the detained person to communicate and confer with his legal counsel
or counsels; (m) the date and time of each visit, and date and time of each departure of
his legal counsel or counsels; and, (n) all other important events bearing on and all
relevant details regarding the treatment of the detained person while under custodial
arrest and detention.

The said police or law enforcement custodial unit shall upon demand of the
aforementioned lawyer or lawyers or members of the family or relatives within the
fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity of the person under custody or his or her
physician issue a certified true copy of the entries of the logbook relative to the
concerned detained person without delay or restriction or requiring any fees
whatsoever including documentary stamp tax, notarial fees, and the like. This certified
true copy may be attested by the person who has custody of the logbook or who
allowed the party concerned to scrutinize it at the time the demand for the certified true
copy is made.

The police or other law enforcement custodial unit who fails to comply with the
preceding paragraph to keep an official logbook shall suffer the penalty of ten (10)
years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

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SEC. 24. No Torture or Coercion in Investigation and Interrogation. — No threat,
intimidation, or coercion, and no act which will inflict any form of physical pain or
torment, or mental, moral, or psychological pressure, on the detained person, which
shall vitiate his free-will, shall be employed in his investigation and interrogation for the
crime of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism; otherwise, the
evidence obtained from said detained person resulting from such threat, intimidation, or
coercion, or from such inflicted physical pain or torment, or mental, moral, or
psychological pressure, shall be, in its entirety, absolutely not admissible and usable as
evidence in any judicial, quasi-judicial, legislative, or administrative, investigation,
inquiry, proceeding, or hearing.

SEC. 25. Penalty for Threat, Intimidation, Coercion, or Torture in the Investigation and
Interrogation of a Detained Person. — Any person or persons who use threat,
intimidation, or coercion, or who inflict physical pain or torment, or mental, moral, or
psychological pressure, which shall vitiate the free-will of a charged or suspected
person under investigation and interrogation for the crime of terrorism or the crime of
conspiracy to commit terrorism shall be guilty of an offense and shall suffer the penalty
of twelve (12) years and one day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment.

When death or serious permanent disability of said detained person occurs as a

consequence of the use of such threat, intimidation, or coercion, or as a consequence
of the infliction on him of such physical pain or torment, or as a consequence of the
infliction on him of such mental, moral, or psychological pressure, the penalty shall be
twelve (12) years and one day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 26. Restriction on Travel. — In cases where evidence of guilt is not strong, and
the person charged with the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism is
entitled to bail and is granted the same, the court, upon application by the prosecutor,
shall limit the right of travel of the accused to within the municipality or city where he
resides or where the case is pending, in the interest of national security and public
safety, consistent with Article III, Section 6 of the Constitution. Travel outside of said
municipality or city, without the authorization of the court, shall be deemed a violation
of the terms and conditions of his bail, which shall then be forfeited as provided under
the Rules of Court.

He/she may also be placed under house arrest by order of the court at his or her usual
place of residence.

While under house arrest, he or she may not use telephones, cellphones, e-mails,
computers, the internet or other means of communications with people outside the
residence until otherwise ordered by the court.

The restrictions abovementioned shall be terminated upon the acquittal of the accused
or of the dismissal of the case filed against him or earlier upon the discretion of the
court on motion of the prosecutor or of the accused.

SEC. 27. Judicial Authorization Required to Examine Bank Deposits, Accounts, and
Records. — The provisions of Republic Act No. 1405 as amended, to the contrary
notwithstanding, the justices of the Court of Appeals designated as a special court to
handle anti-terrorism cases after satisfying themselves of the existence of probable
cause in a hearing called for that purpose that: (1) a person charged with or suspected

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of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism, (2) of a judicially declared
and outlawed terrorist organization, association, or group of persons; and (3) of a
member of such judicially declared and outlawed organization, association, or group of
persons, may authorize in writing any police or law enforcement officer and the
members of his/her team duly authorized in writing by the anti-terrorism council to: (a)
examine, or cause the examination of, the deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets
and records in a bank or financial institution; and (b) gather or cause the gathering of
any relevant information about such deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets, and
records from a bank or financial institution. The bank or financial institution concerned
shall not refuse to allow such examination or to provide the desired information, when
so ordered by and served with the written order of the Court of Appeals.

SEC. 28. Application to Examine Bank Deposits, Accounts, and Records. — The
written order of the Court of Appeals authorizing the examination of bank deposits,
placements, trust accounts, assets, and records: (1) of a person charged with or
suspected of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism; (2) of any
judicially declared and outlawed terrorist organization, association, or group of persons,
or (3) of any member of such organization, association, or group of persons in a bank
or financial institution, and the gathering of any relevant information about the same
from said bank or financial institution, shall only be granted by the authorizing division
of the Court of Appeals upon an ex parte application to that effect of a police or of a
law enforcement official who has been duly authorized in writing to file such ex parte
application by the Anti-Terrorism Council created in Section 53 of this Act to file such
ex parte application, and upon examination under oath or affirmation of the applicant
and the witnesses he may produce to establish the facts that will justify the need and
urgency of examining and freezing the bank deposits, placements, trust accounts,
assets, and records: (1) of the person charged with or suspected of the crime of
terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism; (2) of a judicially declared and outlawed
terrorist organization, association or group of persons; or (3) of any member of such
organization, association, or group of persons.

SEC. 29. Classification and Contents of the Court Order Authorizing the Examination of
Bank Deposits, Accounts, and Records. — The written order granted by the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals as well as its order, if any, to extend or renew the
same, the original ex parte application of the applicant, including his ex parte
application to extend or renew, if any, and the written authorizations of the Anti-
Terrorism Council, shall be deemed and are hereby declared as classified information:
Provided, That the person whose bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets,
and records have been examined, frozen, sequestered and seized by law enforcement
authorities has the right to be informed of the acts done by the law enforcement
authorities in the premises or to challenge, if he or she intends to do so, the legality of
the interference. The written order of the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals
designated to handle cases involving terrorism shall specify: (a) the identify of the said:
(1) person charged with or suspected of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit
terrorism; (2) judicially declared and outlawed terrorist organization, association, or
group of persons; and (3) member of such judicially declared and outlawed
organization, association, or group of persons, as the case may be, whose deposits,
placements, trust accounts, assets, and records are to be examined or the information
to be gathered; (b) the identity of the bank or financial institution where such deposits,
placements, trust accounts, assets, and records are held and maintained; (c) the

11
identity of the persons who will conduct the said examination and the gathering of the
desired information; and, (d) the length of time the authorization shall be carried out.

SEC. 30. Effective Period of Court Authorization to Examine and Obtain Information on
Bank Deposits, Accounts, and Records. — The authorization issued or granted by the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals to examine or cause the examination of
and to freeze bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets, and records, or to
gather information about the same, shall be effective for the length of time specified in
the written order of the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals, which shall not
exceed a period of thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the written order of the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals by the applicant police or law enforcement
official.

The authorizing division of the Court of Appeals may extend or renew the said
authorization for another period, which shall not exceed thirty (30) days renewable to
another thirty (30) days from the expiration of the original period: Provided, That the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals is satisfied that such extension or renewal
is in the public interest: and, Provided, further, That the application for extension or
renewal, which must be filed by the original applicant, has been duly authorized in
writing by the Anti-Terrorism Council.

In case of death of the original applicant or in case he is physically disabled to file the
application for extension or renewal, the one next in rank to the original applicant
among the members of the ream named in the original written order of the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals shall file the application for extension or renewal:
Provided, That, without prejudice to the liability of the police or law enforcement
personnel under Section 19 hereof, the applicant police or law enforcement official
shall have thirty (30) days after the termination of the period granted by the Court of
Appeals as provided in the preceding paragraphs within which to file the appropriate
case before the Public Prosecutor’s Office for any violation of this Act.

If no case is filed within the thirty (30)-day period, the applicant police or law
enforcement official shall immediately notify in writing the person subject of the bank
examination and freezing of bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and
records. The penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of
imprisonment shall be imposed upon the applicant police or law enforcement official
who fails to notify in writing the person subject of the bank examination and freezing of
bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and records.

Any person, law enforcement official or judicial authority who violates his duty to notify
in writing as defined above shall suffer the penalty of six years and one day to eight
years of imprisonment.

SEC. 31. Custody of Bank Data and Information Obtained after Examination of
Deposits, Placements, Trust Accounts, Assets and Records. — All information, data,
excerpts, summaries, notes, memoranda, working sheets, reports, and other
documents obtained from the examination of the bank deposits, placements, trust
accounts, assets and records of: (1) a person charged with or suspected of the crime
of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism; (2) a judicially declared and
outlawed terrorist organization, association, or group of persons; or (3) a member of
any such organization, association, or group of persons shall, within forty-eight (48)

12
hours after the expiration of the period fixed in the written order of the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals or within forty-eight (48) hours after the expiration of
the extension or renewal granted by the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals, be
deposited with the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals in a sealed envelope or
sealed package, as the case may be, and shall be accompanied by a joint affidavit of
the applicant police or law enforcement official and the persons who actually conducted
the examination of said bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and records.

SEC. 32. Contents of Joint Affidavit. — The joint affidavit shall state: (a) the identifying
marks, numbers, or symbols of the deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets, and
records examined; (b) the identity and address of the bank or financial institution where
such deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets, and records are held and
maintained; (c) the number of bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets, and
records discovered, examined, and frozen; (d) the outstanding balances of each of
such deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets; (e) all information, data, excerpts,
summaries, notes, memoranda, working sheets, reports, documents, records
examined and placed in the sealed envelope or sealed package deposited with the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals; (f) the date of the original written
authorization granted by the Anti-Terrorism Council to the applicant to file the ex parte
application to conduct the examination of the said bank deposits, placements, trust
accounts, assets and records, as well as the date of any extension or renewal of the
original written authorization granted by the authorizing division of the Court of
Appeals; and (g) that the items enumerated were all that were found in the bank or
financial institution examined at the time of the completion of the examination.

The joint affidavit shall also certify under oath that no duplicates or copies of the
information, data, excerpts, summaries, notes, memoranda, working sheets, reports,
and documents acquired from the examination of the bank deposits, placements, trust
accounts, assets and records have been made, or, if made, that all such duplicates
and copies are placed in the sealed envelope or sealed package deposited with the
authorizing division of the Court of Appeals.

It shall be unlawful for any person, police officer or custodian of the bank data and
information obtained after examination of deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets
and records to copy, to remove, delete, expunge, incinerate, shred or destroy in any
manner the items enumerated above in whole or in part under any pretext whatsoever.

Any person who copies, removes, deletes, expunges, incinerates, shreds or destroys
the items enumerated above shall suffer a penalty of not less than six years and one
day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 33. Disposition of Bank Materials. — The sealed envelope or sealed package
and the contents thereof, which are deposited with the authorizing division of the Court
of Appeals, shall be deemed and are hereby declared classified information and the
sealed envelope or sealed package shall not be opened and its contents shall not be
divulged, revealed, read, or used as evidence unless authorized in a written order of
the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals, which written order shall be granted
only upon a written application of the Department of Justice filed before the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals and only upon a showing that the Department of
Justice has been duly authorized in writing by the Anti-Terrorism Council to file the
application, with notice in writing to the party concerned not later than three days

13
before the scheduled opening, to open, reveal, divulge, and use the contents of the
sealed envelope or sealed package as evidence.

Any person, law enforcement official or judicial authority who violates his duty to notify
in writing as defined above shall suffer the penalty of six years and one day to eight
years of imprisonment.

SEC. 34. Application to Open Deposited Bank Materials. — The written application,
with notice in writing to the party concerned not later than three days of the scheduled
opening, to open the sealed envelope or sealed package shall clearly state the
purpose and reason: (a) for opening the sealed envelope or sealed package; (b) for
revealing and disclosing its classified contents; and, (c) for using the classified
information, data, excerpts, summaries, notes, memoranda, working sheets, reports,
and documents as evidence.

SEC. 35. Evidentiary Value of Deposited Bank Materials. — Any information, data,
excerpts, summaries, notes, memoranda, work sheets, reports, or documents acquired
from the examination of the bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and
records of: (1) a person charged or suspected of the crime of terrorism or the crime of
conspiracy to commit terrorism: (2) a judicially declared and outlawed terrorist
organization, association, or group of persons; or (3) a member of such organization,
association, or group of persons, which have been secured in violation of the
provisions of this Act, shall absolutely not be admissible and usable as evidence
against anybody in any judicial, quasi-judicial, legislative, or administrative
investigation, inquiry, proceeding, or hearing.

SEC. 36. Penalty for Unauthorized or Malicious Examination of a Bank or a Financial

Institution. — Any person, police or law enforcement personnel who examines the
deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets, or records in a bank or financial
institution of: (1) a person charged with or suspected of the crime of terrorism or the
crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism; (2) a judicially declared and outlawed terrorist
organization, association, or group of persons; or (3) a member of such organization,
association, or group of persons, without being authorized to do so by the Court of
Appeals, shall be guilty of an offense and shall suffer the penalty of ten (10) years and
one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

In addition to the liability attaching to the offender for the commission of any other
offense, the penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment
shall be imposed upon any police or law enforcement personnel, who maliciously
obtained an authority from the Court of Appeals to examine the deposits, placements,
trust accounts, assets, or records in a bank or financial institution of: (1) a person
charged with or suspected of the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism;
(2) a judicially declared and outlawed terrorist organization, association, or group of
persons; or (3) a member of such organization, association, or group of persons:
Provided, That notwithstanding Section 33 of this Act, the party aggrieved by such
authorization shall upon motion duly filed be allowed access to the sealed envelope or
sealed package and the contents thereof as evidence for the prosecution of any police
or law enforcement personnel who maliciously procured said authorization.

SEC. 37. Penalty of Bank Officials and Employees Defying a Court Authorization. —
An employee, official, or a member of the board of directors of a bank or financial

14
institution, who refuses to allow the examination of the deposits, placements, trust
accounts, assets, and records of: (1) a person charged with or suspected of the crime
of terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism; (2) a judicially declared and
outlawed organization, association, or group of persons; or (3) a member of such
judicially declared and outlawed organization, association, or group of persons in said
bank or financial institution, when duly served with the written order of the authorizing
division of the Court of Appeals, shall be guilty of an offense and shall suffer the
penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 38. Penalty for False or Untruthful Statement or Misrepresentation of Material

Fact in Joint Affidavits. — Any false or untruthful statement or misrepresentation of
material fact in the joint affidavits required respectively in Section 12 and Section 32 of
this Act shall constitute a criminal offense and the affiants shall suffer individually the
penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 39. Seizure and Sequestration. — The deposits and their outstanding balances,
placements, trust accounts, assets, and records in any bank or financial institution,
moneys, businesses, transportation and communication equipment, supplies and other
implements, and property of whatever kind and nature belonging: (1) to any person
suspected of or charged before a competent Regional Trial Court for the crime of
terrorism or the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorism; (2) to a judicially declared and
outlawed organization, association, or group of persons; or (3) to a member of such
organization, association, or group of persons shall be seized, sequestered, and frozen
in order to prevent their use, transfer, or conveyance for purposes that are inimical to
the safety and security of the people or injurious to the interest of the State.

The accused or a person suspected of may withdraw such sums as may be reasonably
needed by the monthly needs of his family including the services of his or her counsel
and his or her family’s medical needs upon approval of the court. He or she may also
use any of his property that is under seizure or sequestration or frozen because of
his/her indictment as a terrorist upon permission of the court for any legitimate reason.

Any person who unjustifiably refuses to follow the order of the proper division of the
Court of Appeals to allow the person accused of the crime of terrorism or of the crime
of conspiracy to commit terrorism to withdraw such sums from sequestered or frozen
deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and records as may be necessary for the
regular sustenance of his/her family or to use any of his/her property that has been
seized, sequestered or frozen for legitimate purposes while his/her case is pending
shall suffer the penalty of ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of
imprisonment.

SEC. 40. Nature of Seized, Sequestered and Frozen Bank Deposits, Placements,
Trust Accounts, Assets and Records. — The seized, sequestered and frozen bank
deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and records belonging to a person
suspected of or charged with the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism
shall be deemed as property held in trust by the bank or financial institution for such
person and the government during the pendency of the investigation of the person
suspected of or during the pendency of the trial of the person charged with any of the
said crimes, as the case may be and their use or disposition while the case is pending
shall be subject to the approval of the court before which the case or cases are
pending.

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SEC. 41. Disposition of the Seized, Sequestered and Frozen Bank Deposits,
Placements, Trust Accounts, Assets and Record. — If the person suspected of or
charged with the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism is found, after his
investigation, to be innocent by the investigating body, or is acquitted, after his
arraignment or his case is dismissed before his arraignment by a competent court, the
seizure, sequestration and freezing of his bank deposits, placements, trust accounts,
assets and records shall forthwith be deemed lifted by the investigating body or by the
competent court, as the case may be, and his bank deposits, placements, trust
accounts, assets and records shall be deemed released from such seizure,
sequestration and freezing, and shall be restored to him without any delay by the bank
or financial institution concerned without any further action on his part. The filing of any
appeal on motion for reconsideration shall not state the release of said funds from
seizure, sequestration and freezing.

If the person charged with the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism is
convicted by a final judgment of a competent trial court, his seized, sequestered and
frozen bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and records shall be
automatically forfeited in favor of the government.

Upon his or her acquittal or the dismissal of the charges against him or her, the amount
of Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) a day for the period in which his
properties, assets or funds were seized shall be paid to him on the concept of
liquidated damages. The amount shall be taken from the appropriations of the police or
law enforcement agency that caused the filing of the enumerated charges against
him/her.

SEC. 42. Penalty for Unjustified Refusal to Restore or Delay in Restoring Seized,
Sequestered and Frozen Bank Deposits, Placements, Trust Accounts, Assets and
Records. — Any person who unjustifiably refuses to restore or delays the restoration of
seized, sequestered and frozen bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and
records of a person suspected of or charged with the crime of terrorism or conspiracy
to commit terrorism after such suspected person has been found innocent by the
investigating body or after the case against such charged person has been dismissed
or after he is acquitted by a competent court shall suffer the penalty of ten (10) years
and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 43. Penalty for the Loss, Misuse, Diversion or Dissipation of Seized, Sequestered
and Frozen Bank Deposits, Placements, Trust Accounts, Assets and Records. — Any
person who is responsible for the loss, misuse, diversion, or dissipation of the whole or
any part of the seized, sequestered and frozen bank deposits, placements, trust
accounts, assets and records of a person suspected of or charged with the crime of
terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism shall suffer the penalty of ten (10) years
and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

SEC. 44. Infidelity in the Custody of Detained Persons. — Any public officer who has
direct custody of a detained person or under the provisions of this Act and who by his
deliberate act, misconduct, or inexcusable negligence causes or allows the escape of
such detained person shall be guilty of an offense and shall suffer the penalty of: (a)
twelve (12) years and one day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment, if the detained
person has already been convicted and sentenced in a final judgment of a competent

16
court; and (b) six years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment, if the
detained person has not been convicted and sentenced in a final judgment of a
competent court.

SEC. 45. Immunity and Protection of Government Witnesses. — The provisions of

Republic Act No. 6981 (Witness Protection, Security and Benefits Act) to the contrary
notwithstanding, the immunity of government witnesses testifying under this Act shall
be governed by Sections 17 and 18 of Rule 119 of the Rules of Court: Provided,
however, That said witnesses shall be entitled to benefits granted to witnesses under
said Republic Act No. 6981.

SEC. 46. Penalty for Unauthorized Revelation of Classified Materials. — The penalty of
ten (10) years and one day to twelve (12) years of imprisonment shall be imposed
upon any person, police or law enforcement agent, judicial officer or civil servant who,
not being authorized by the Court of Appeals to do so, reveals in any manner or form
any classified information under this Act.

SEC. 47. Penalty for Furnishing False Evidence, Forged Document, or Spurious
Evidence. — The penalty of twelve (12) years and one day to twenty (20) years of
imprisonment shall be imposed upon any person who knowingly furnishes false
testimony, forged document or spurious evidence in any investigation or hearing under
this Act.

SEC. 48. Continuous Trial. — In cases of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism,

the judge shall set the continuous trial on a daily basis from Monday to Friday or other
short-term trial calendar so as to ensure speedy trial.

SEC. 49. Prosecution Under This Act Shall be a Bar to Another Prosecution under the
Revised Penal Code or any Special Penal Laws. — When a person has been
prosecuted under a provision of this Act, upon a valid complaint or information or other
formal charge sufficient in form and substance to sustain a conviction and after the
accused had pleaded to the charge, the acquittal of the accused or the dismissal of the
case shall be a bar to another prosecution for any offense or felony which is
necessarily included in the offense charged under this Act.

SEC. 50. Damages for Unproven Charge of Terrorism. — Upon acquittal, any person
who is accused of terrorism shall be entitled to the payment of damages in the amount
of Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) for every day that he or she has been
detained or deprived of liberty or arrested without a warrant as a result of such an
accusation. The amount of damages shall be automatically charged against the
appropriations of the police agency or the Anti-Terrorism Council that brought or
sanctioned the filing of the charges against the accused. It shall also be released within
fifteen (15) days from the date of the acquittal of the accused. The award of damages
mentioned above shall be without prejudice to the right of the acquitted accused to file
criminal or administrative charges against those responsible for charging him with the
case of terrorism.

Any officer, employee, personnel, or person who delays the release or refuses to
release the amounts awarded to the individual acquitted of the crime of terrorism as
directed in the paragraph immediately preceding shall suffer the penalty of six months
of imprisonment.

17
If the deductions are less than the amounts due to the detained persons, the amount
needed to complete the compensation shall be taken from the current appropriations
for intelligence, emergency, social or other funds of the Office of the President.

In the event that the amount cannot be covered by the current budget of the police or
law enforcement agency concerned, the amount shall be automatically included in the
appropriations of the said agency for the coming year.

SEC. 51. Duty to Record and Report the Name and Address of the Informant. — The
police or law enforcement officers to whom the name or a suspect in the crime of
terrorism was first revealed shall record the real name and the specific address of the
informant.

The police or law enforcement officials concerned shall report the informant’s name
and address to their superior officer who shall transmit the information to the
Congressional Oversight Committee or to the proper court within five days after the
suspect was placed under arrest or his properties were sequestered, seized or frozen.

The name and address of the informant shall be considered confidential and shall not
be unnecessarily revealed until after the proceedings against the suspect shall have
been terminated.

SEC. 52. Applicability of the Revised Penal Code. — The provisions of Book I of the
Revised Penal Code shall be applicable to this Act.

SEC. 53. Anti-Terrorism Council. — An Anti-Terrorism Council, hereinafter referred to,

for brevity, as the “Council,” is hereby created. The members of the Council are: (1) the
Executive Secretary, who shall be its Chairperson; (2) the Secretary of Justice, who
shall be its Vice Chairperson; and (3) the Secretary of Foreign Affairs; (4) the Secretary
of National Defense; (5) the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government; (6) the
Secretary of Finance; and (7) the National Security Advisor, as its other members.

The Council shall implement this Act and assume the responsibility for the proper and
effective implementation of the anti-terrorism policy of the country. The Council shall
keep records of its proceedings and decisions. All records of the Council shall be
subject to such security classifications as the Council may, in its judgment and
discretion, decide to adopt to safeguard the safety of the people, the security of the
Republic, and the welfare of the nation.

The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency shall be the Secretariat of the Council.
The Council shall define the powers, duties, and functions of the National Intelligence
Coordinating Agency as Secretariat of the Council. The National Bureau of
Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration, the Office of Civil Defense, the Intelligence
Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Anti-Money Laundering Council,
the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, and the Philippine National Police
intelligence and investigative elements shall serve as support agencies for the Council.

The Council shall formulate and adopt comprehensive, adequate, efficient, and
effective anti-terrorism plans, programs, and counter-measures to suppress and
eradicate terrorism in the country and to protect the people from acts of terrorism.

18
Nothing herein shall be interpreted to empower the Anti-Terrorism Council to exercise
any judicial or quasi-judicial power or authority.

SEC. 54. Functions of the Council. — In pursuit of its mandate in the previous Section,
the Council shall have the following functions with due regard for the rights of the
people as mandated by the Constitution and pertinent laws.

1. Formulate and adopt plans, programs and counter-measures against terrorists and
acts of terrorism in the country;

2. Coordinate all national efforts to suppress and eradicate acts of terrorism in the
country and mobilize the entire nation against terrorism prescribed in this Act;

3. Direct the speedy investigation and prosecution of all persons accused or detained
for the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism and other offenses
punishable under this Act, and monitor the progress of their cases;

4. Establish and maintain comprehensive data-base information system on terrorism,

terrorist activities, and counter-terrorism operations;

5. Freeze the funds property, bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and
records belonging to a person suspected of or charged with the crime of terrorism or
conspiracy to commit terrorism, pursuant to Republic Act No. 9160, otherwise known
as the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended;

6. Grant monetary rewards and other incentives to informers who give vital information
leading to the apprehension, arrest, detention, prosecution, and conviction of person or
persons who are liable for the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism;

7. Establish and maintain coordination with and the cooperation and assistance of
other nations in the struggle against international terrorism; and

8. Request the Supreme Court to designate specific divisions of the Court of Appeals
and Regional Trial Courts in Manila, Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro City, as the case
may be, to handle all cases involving the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit
terrorism and all matters incident to said crimes. The Secretary of Justice shall assign
a team of prosecutors from: (a) Luzon to handle terrorism cases filed in the Regional
Trial Court in Manila; (b) from the Visayas to handle cases filed in Cebu City; and (c)
from Mindanao to handle cases filed in Cagayan de Oro City.

SEC. 55. Role of the Commission on Human Rights. — The Commission on Human
Rights shall give the highest priority to the investigation and prosecution of violations of
civil and political rights of persons in relation to the implementation of this Act; and for
this purpose, the Commission shall have the concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute public
officials, law enforcers, and other persons who may have violated the civil and political
rights of persons suspected of, or detained for the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to
commit terrorism.

SEC. 56. Creation of a Grievance Committee. — There is hereby created a Grievance

Committee composed of the Ombudsman, as chair, and the Solicitor General, and an
undersecretary from the Department of Justice (DOJ), as members, to receive and

19
evaluate complaints against the actuations of the police and law enforcement officials
in the implementation of this Act. The Committee shall hold office in Manila.

The Committee shall have three subcommittees that will be respectively headed by the
Deputy, Ombudsmen in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. The subcommittees shall
respectively hold office at the Offices of Deputy Ombudsman. Three Assistant
Solicitors General designated by the Solicitor General, and the regional prosecutors of
the DOJ assigned to the regions where the Deputy Ombudsmen hold office shall be
members thereof. The three subcommittees shall assist the Grievance Committee in
receiving, investigating and evaluating complaints against the police and other law
enforcement officers in the implementation of this Act. If the evidence warrants it, they
may file the appropriate cases against the erring police and law enforcement officers.
Unless seasonably disowned or denounced by the complainants, decisions or
judgments in the said cases shall preclude the filing of other cases based on the same
cause or causes of action as those that were filed with the Grievance Committee or its
branches.

SEC. 57. Ban on Extraordinary Rendition. — No person suspected or convicted of the

crime of terrorism shall be subjected to extraordinary rendition to any country unless
his or her testimony is needed for terrorist related police investigations or judicial trials
in the said country and unless his or her human rights, including the right against
torture, and right to counsel, are officially assured by the requesting country and
transmitted accordingly and approved by the Department of Justice.

SEC. 58. Extra-Territorial Application of this Act. — Subject to the provision of an

existing treaty of which the Philippines is a signatory and to any contrary provision of
any law of preferential application, the provisions of this Act shall apply: (1) to individual
persons who commit any of the crimes defined and punished in this Act within the
terrestrial domain, interior waters, maritime zone, and airspace of the Philippines; (2) to
individual persons who, although physically outside the territorial limits of the
Philippines, commit, conspire or plot to commit any of the crimes defined and punished
in this Act inside the territorial limits of the Philippines; (3) to individual persons who,
although physically outside the territorial limits of the Philippines, commit any of the
said crimes on board Philippine ship or Philippine airship; (4) to individual persons who
commit any of said crimes within any embassy, consulate, or diplomatic premises
belonging to or occupied by the Philippine government in an official capacity; (5) to
individual persons who, although physically outside the territorial limits of the
Philippines, commit said crimes against Philippine citizens or persons of Philippines
descent, where their citizenship or ethnicity was a factor in the commission of the
crime; and (6) to individual persons who, although physically outside the territorial limits
of the Philippines, commit said crimes directly against the Philippine government.

SEC. 59. Joint Oversight Committee. — There is hereby created a Joint Oversight
Committee to oversee the implementation of this Act.

The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five members each from the Senate
and the House in addition to the Chairs of the Committees of Public Order of both
Houses who shall also Chair the Oversight Committee in the order specified herein.
The membership of the Committee for every House shall at least have two opposition
or minority members. The Joint Oversight Committee shall have its own independent
counsel.

20
The Chair of the Committee shall rotate every six months with the Senate chairing it for
the first six months and the House for the next six months. In every case, the ranking
opposition or minority member of the Committee shall be the Vice Chair.

Upon the expiration of one year after this Act is approved by the President, the
Committee shall review the Act particularly the provisions that authorize the
surveillance of suspects of or persons charged with the crime of terrorism. To that end,
the Committee shall summon the police and law enforcement officers and the
members of the Anti-Terrorism Council and require them to answer questions from the
members of Congress and to submit a written report of the acts they have done in the
implementation of the law including the manner in which the persons suspected of or
charged with the crime of terrorism have been dealt with in their custody and from the
date when the movements of the latter were subjected to surveillance and his or her
correspondences, messages, conversations and the like were listened to or subjected
to monitoring, recording and tapping.

Without prejudice to its submitting other reports, the Committee shall render a semi-
annual report to both Houses of Congress. The report may include where necessary a
recommendation to reassess the effects of globalization on terrorist activities on the
people, provide a sunset clause to or amend any portion of the Act or to repeal the Act
in its entirety.

The courts dealing with anti-terrorism cases shall submit to Congress and the
President a report every six months of the status of anti-terrorism cases that have been
filed with them starting from the date this Act is implemented.

SEC. 60. Separability Clause. — If for any reason any part or provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or provisions hereof which are not
affected thereby shall remain and continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 61. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules or regulations
or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 62. Special Effectivity Clause. — After the bill shall have been signed into law by
the President, the Act shall be published in three newspapers of national circulation;
three newspapers of local circulation, one each in Ilocos Norte, Baguio City and
Pampanga; three newspapers of local circulation, one each in Cebu, Iloilo and
Tacloban; and three newspapers of local circulation, one each in Cagayan de Oro,
Davao and General Santos city.

The title of the Act and its provisions defining the acts of terrorism that are punished
shall be aired everyday at primetime for seven days, morning, noon and night over
three national television and radio networks; three radio and television networks, one
each in Cebu, Tacloban and Iloilo; and in five radio and television networks, one each
in Lanao del Sur, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, Cotabato City and Zamboanga City.
The publication in the newspapers of local circulation and the announcements over
local radio and television networks shall be done in the dominant language of the
community.

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After the publication required above shall have been done, the Act shall take effect two
months after the elections are held in May 2007.

Thereafter, the provisions of this Act shall be automatically suspended one month
before and two months after the holding of any election.

Approved,

(Sgd.) JOSE DE VENECIA, JR.

Speaker of the House
of Representatives

(Sgd.) MANNY VILLAR

President of the Senate

This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2137 and House Bill No. 4839 was
finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on February 8, 2007
and February 19, 2007, respectively.

(Sgd.) ROBERTO P. NAZARENO

Secretary General
House of Representatives

(Sgd.) OSCAR G. YABES

Secretary of the Senate

Approved: MAR 06 2007

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the Philippines

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