GENERAL ORDER NO. 21

: General Order No. 21 is dated January 16, 1973.
: It further amends General Order No. 12 dated September 30, 1972, as amended by General Order Nos. 12-A, 12-B, and 12-C.
: Military tribunals authorized under General Order No. 8, dated September 27, 1972.
: Cases involving crimes against personal liberty as defined and penalized under the Revised Penal Code.
: Proclamation No. 1081 dated September 21, 1972, declared Martial Law, which provides the legal basis for the Commander-in-Chief to order military tribunals to try certain cases.
: General Order No. 8 authorized the constitution of military tribunals; General Order No. 12 set the initial guidelines for the cases these tribunals could try; General Order No. 21 further amended General Order No. 12 to add more cases under military tribunal jurisdiction.
: Crimes against personal liberty generally include offenses such as kidnapping, illegal detention, and other acts that unlawfully restrict a person's freedom.
: No, it orders that such cases shall be tried exclusively by military tribunals unless otherwise provided.
: Alejandro Melchor, Executive Secretary.