ENHANCING THE INTER-AGENCY COMMITTEE AGAINST PASSPORT IRREGULARITIES (ICPI) TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE COORDINATION AMONG CONCERNED AGENCIES IN THE INVESTIGATION, PROSECUTION AND D…

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WHEREAS, the Philippine passport is one
of the most important documents produced by the National Government, and it is
its duty to ensure and protect the integrity of this valuable document as
embodied in the Philippine Passport Act of 1996 (Republic Act No. 8239);

WHEREAS, there is an increasing number of
passport irregularities and fraud cases conducted through the methodical
manipulation and circumvention of the Philippine passporting system;

WHEREAS, cases of illegal sale and
possession of Philippine passports by foreign nationals have increased;

WHEREAS, these fraudulent passports become
tools for transnational terrorists and other criminal elements;

WHEREAS, such nefarious activities
promote a negative image of the Philippine Government abroad, ultimately
leading to a decrease in global credibility and prestige for the country;

WHEREAS, there is a need to enhance the
mandate of the existing Inter-Agency Committee Against Passport Irregularities
to constitute an operating arm to actively pursue the investigation,
prosecution and disposition of cases involving passport irregularities and to
facilitate and expedite government processes in the resolution of such cases;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President
of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby
order:

SECTION 1. Composition of the
Committee. There is hereby reconstituted an Inter-Agency Committee
Against Passport Irregularities, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, to
be composed of the following agencies:

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and members of the
Committee may designate their alternates who shall be senior officials of their
respective Departments or agencies, with a rank not lower than Director.

SEC. 2. Functions of the Committee. The
Committee shall have the following functions:

a. Establish the blueprint for achieving a
coordinated approach to the problem of passport fraud by defining the roles,
obligations and accountabilities of each member department or agency;

b. Collate and review existing passporting
procedures, including the redesigning of a tamper-proof passport, and adopt and
promulgate implementing guidelines for the effective enhancement of the
integrity of the Philippine passport;

c. Ensure the proper implementation of established
procedures; and

d. Call on any department, bureau or office of the
Government, including government-owned and controlled corporations, to render
such assistance as it may need in the discharge of its functions.

SEC. 3. Composition of the Special Committee
Sub-Group. A special sub-group, hereinafter referred to as the Sub-Group, is hereby
established within the Committee composed of representatives of the following:

a. Department of Foreign Affairs
b. Department of Justice
c. National Bureau of Investigation
d. Directorate for Intelligence, PNP
e. Directorate for Operations, PNP
f. National Intelligence Coordinating Agency
g. Intelligence Service, AFP

SEC. 4. Functions of the Special Committee
Sub-Group. The Sub-Group shall have the following functions:

a. Conduct investigations, particularly pursuing
and supporting entrapment and intelligence operations by law-enforcement
agencies, of cases involving passport irregularities;

b. Perform and serve as a forum for the effective
coordination of the prosecution and final disposition of cases involving
passport irregularities;

c. Perform and serve as a forum for the exchange of
intelligence on cases involving passport irregularities;

d. Maintain a central database of information and
intelligence on all cases involving passport irregularities; and

e. Submit a quarterly report of its activities to
the Committee.

SEC. 5. Report to the President. The
Committee shall submit to the President a quarterly progress report on its
activities.

SEC. 6. Funding. The
amounts of TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P2,500,000.00) for
the second semester of 1997 and FIVE MILLION PESOS (P5,000,000.00) for
1998 are hereby authorized to be set aside from the President’s Contingent
Fund. Subsequent appropriations shall be incorporated into the budget proposals
of member agencies, particularly for those concerned with the investigation and
prosecution of cases. Subsequent administrative expenses of the Committee, on
the other hand, shall be included in the budget of the Department of Foreign
Affairs, subject to existing accounting and auditing laws and procedures.

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. All other
Executive Orders, Administrative Orders, rules and regulations inconsistent
herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. This
Executive Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 22nd day of July
in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary

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