WHEREAS, the DND-AFP has long exercised primary responsibility over internal security of the country.

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 12 of Republic Act (RA) 6975, the DILG-PNP shall assume primary responsibility on matters affecting internal security, including the suppression of insurgency effective January 1, 1995;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the same provision of law, the President, upon the recommendation of the peace and order council, may call upon the AFP to assume the primary role in addressing the insurgency concerns in a particular area under certain circumstances.

WHEREAS, there is need to assure smoothness, continuity, consistency, integration and coordination of efforts particularly during and incidental to the shifting of roles to assume primary or supporting roles and vice-versa.

NOW, therefore, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested upon me by the Constitution and laws of the Philippines, do hereby promulgate the following:

SECTION 1. The DND and the DILG shall jointly prepare for the approval of the President Implementing Guidelines to enhance the internal security management system which shall, among others, define the strategic concept of the internal security program, determine the various levels of internal security conditions, the appropriate government responses for each level, and the responsibilities for primary and supporting roles of concerned agencies and forces in each case, in order to ensure continued, consistent, integrated and coordinated internal security measures.

SECTION 2. Primary Role - As used herein, primary role shall mean providing the principal planning, direction, control, and resources for internal security operations, including the suppression of insurgency.

SECTION 3. Support Role - As used herein, support role shall mean assisting the lead agency with adequate personnel and material resources for internal security operations, including the suppression of insurgency.

SECTION 4. Initial Roles - Pursuant to RA 6975, the DILG-PNP shall assume the primary role, with the DND-AFP in the support role, in internal security operations effective January 1, 1995 except in areas as herein specified. As recommended by the National Peace and Order Council in its Resolution No. 10-94, the DND-AFP is hereby called upon to undertake the primary role, with the DILG-PNP in the support role, on matters affecting internal security including the suppression of insurgency in the following areas:

a. All provinces in the island of Mindanao;

b. All the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi;

c. All provinces in the island of Panay;

d. All provinces in the island of Samar;

e. All provinces within the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); and

f. Southern Quezon and all provinces of the Bicol Region.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is understood that general law enforcement functions nationwide shall continue to be the primary concern of the DILG-PNP.

SECTION 5. Change of Roles - The President may, upon the recommendation of the National Peace and Order Council, call upon the AFP to assume the primary role in internal security operations in other areas or approve the turn-over of the same to PNP in others, depending upon the internal security condition in each particular area.

SECTION 6. As part of the internal security management system, there shall be established a Joint AFP-PNP Secretariat that shall monitor internal security operations, determine the existing or projected internal security condition level in each particular area, prepare integrated plans, facilitate inter-agency coordination and prepare appropriate reports to the President pertaining to the internal security program and other internal security concerns.

SECTION 7. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 16 Dec. 1994

(SGD.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President