Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 739)
The primary purpose of Executive Order No. 739 is to reorganize the Peace and Order Council at various levels of government to effectively address peace and order issues, particularly focusing on the disruption of Communist rebels and enhancing internal security operations.
The Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG) chairs the National Peace and Order Council (NPOC).
The NPOC has the same composition as the National Security Council (NSC) except for the chairmanship, which is held by the SILG. Members include various secretaries, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Chief of the PNP, the Director of the NBI, and three private sector representatives appointed by the President.
The NPOC contributes to NSC strategies on peace and order, coordinates and monitors peace and order plans, provides a forum for interdisciplinary dialogue on major peace and order issues, and performs other duties as directed by the President.
The RPOC serves as a forum for dialogue on peace and order issues including insurgency, recommends measures to improve peace and order, initiates and oversees internal security operations efforts, applies moral suasion or recommends sanctions against supportive local chief executives to rebels, monitors development programs in remote areas, and performs other functions as assigned.
The PPOC is composed of provincial counterparts of relevant departments and agencies, with the Provincial Governor as Chairman and the Vice Governor as Vice Chairman, plus one representative from the Sangguniang Lalawigan. It also includes three private sector representatives appointed with certain approvals.
The Secretariat handles administrative and technical activities of the Peace and Order Council, liaises and coordinates with government agencies, and is headed by designated officials depending on the level of government, such as the SILG acting as Secretary-General at the regional level.
Each region has a Regional ISO (Internal Security Operations) Convergence Office under the RPOC, focused on coordinating internal security operations of civil authorities, military, and police.
They may apply moral suasion and recommend sanctions against local chief executives who give material and political support to the Communist rebels.
The Kalayaan Barangay list is used to identify remote rural and indigenous areas targeted for livelihood and infrastructure programs to isolate these populations from Communist rebel influence; it may be amended as needed.