WHEREAS, the accelerated pace of social changes, economic and technological advances, industrialization and urbanization have reshaped certain national and internal values and have brought about complicated and serious social problems, manifested in rising crime, juvenile delinquency, vices and addictions; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for the adoption of both long-range and short-term programs and policies in preventing, containing and combatting crime;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create a Social Defense Planning Committee composed of the following:

Justice Conrado V. Sanchez

Chairman

Senator Salvador Laurel

Member

Congressman Teodulo Natividad

Member

The Committee shall evolve and adopt long-term and short-term programs and policies on social defense planning, including the review of our penal system and criminal statutes as a whole, as an integral and essential part of planning for national development.

The Committee may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, for such assistance as it may need for the accomplishment of its task.

The Committee shall submit its report and recommendations to the President from time to time.

Done in the City of Manila, this 16th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy.


By the President:

(SGD.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary