WHEREAS, it is the declared policy of the State to value the dignity of every human person and guarantee full respect for human rights and ensure that the human rights of all persons, including suspects, detainees and prisoners are respected at all times;

WHEREAS, various agencies concerned with the Criminal Justice System from the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary, including non-government, faith-based and civil society organizations, and other stakeholders, convened in a National Summit in Manila on 16-17 November 2010 to agree and collaborate on measures to ensure the protection of the rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs);

WHEREAS, the participants in the National Summit adopted the 2010 National Summit Declaration on Persons Deprived of Liberty (2010 Summit Declaration), comprising of short to medium term executive commitments, including advocacy for legislative and judicial support, towards ensuring the protection of the rights of PDLs; and,

WHEREAS, there is a need to closely monitor the implementation of the commitments in the 2010 Summit Declaration and to report to the general public the milestones and outcomes made towards upholding the dignity of PDLs.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Creation of an Inter-Agency Executive Committee. An Inter-Agency Executive Committee (Execom) is hereby created to monitor the implementation of the commitments in the 2010 Summit Declaration which shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), with the following as members:

a) Secretary, Department of Justice - Vice Chairperson

b) Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development

c) Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines

d) Chairperson, Board of Pardons and Parole

e) Director, Bureau of Corrections

f) Commissioner, Bureau of Immigration

g) Bureau Chief, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology

h) Director, National Bureau of Investigation

i) Administrator, Parole and Probation Administration

j) Director General, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency

k) Chief of Police, Philippine National Police

l) Chief Public Attorney, Public Attorneys ™ Office

SECTION 2. Resource Institutions and Agencies. The Execom may invite resource institutions and agencies to assist in the performance of its tasks and in the implementation of the commitments in the 2010 Summit Declaration. These resource institutions and agencies may include, but are not limited to, the Senate of the Philippines, House of Representatives, Supreme Court of the Philippines, Commission on Human Rights, non-government organizations, faith-based groups, civil society organizations and other partners.

The Execom may create technical working groups and sub-committees, as it may deem necessary in the performance of its tasks and to ensure the implementation of the commitments.

SECTION 3. The Secretariat. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology shall be the Secretariat of the Execom.

SECTION 4. Progress Reports. The Execom shall submit its first progress report to the Office of the President (OP) within six (6) months from the date of its initial meeting, as provided under Section 7 of this Memorandum Order. Subsequent progress reports shall be submitted every six (6) months thereafter.

SECTION 5. Support. All concerned departments, agencies and other instrumentalities of the government are hereby enjoined to support the implementation of the commitments in the 2010 Summit Declaration and submit periodic reports to the Execom and its Secretariat, as often as may be determined by the Execom.

SECTION 6. Funding. The funding for the operation of the Execom shall be sourced from the existing budgets of the departments and agencies enumerated under Section 1 hereof, as may be determined by the Execom.

SECTION 7. Meetings and Cessation of the Execom. In order to better achieve the objectives of the 2010 Summit Declaration, the DILG Secretary, as Execom Chairperson, shall call the initial meeting of the Execom within thirty (30) calendar days from the effectivity of this Memorandum Order. Thereafter, the Execom shall meet as often as necessary, as may be determined by the Chairperson.

The Execom shall cease to exist upon the submission of its final report on or before 30 November 2013 to the OP, through the Executive Secretary.

The final report shall consist of overall accomplishments, gains and results of the National Summit, including a strategy to sustain long-term initiatives to uphold the dignity of PDLs. Thereafter, the OP shall promulgate appropriate measures and guidelines based on the recommendations of the Execom.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Order is declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Memorandum Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 18th day of April in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand Eleven.


By the President:

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.

Executive Secretary