Title
Creation of ICAD and Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force
Law
Executive Order No. 15
Decision Date
Mar 6, 2017
Executive Order No. 15 establishes the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) in the Philippines, aiming to coordinate efforts and implement policies to suppress the drug problem in the country, with various government agencies working together to achieve the government's anti-illegal drug objectives.
task force
drug problem
government agencies

Legal basis and related drug policy laws

  • Republic Act No. 9165 is cited as establishing the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) as the policy-making and strategy-formulating body for drug prevention and control.
  • Republic Act No. 9165 is also cited as the legal basis for the creation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), tasked with efficient and effective law enforcement against dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals.
  • Republic Act No. 9165 is cited as mandating PDEA to initiate and undertake nationwide organization and coordination of anti-drug activities in every province, city, municipality, and barangay.
  • Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 2 (s. 2007) is cited as supporting the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program approach referenced in the government’s strategy of supply and demand reduction.

Policy framework and governmental intent

  • The State is committed to pursuing an effective campaign against trafficking and use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances through an integrated system of planning, implementation, and enforcement of anti-illegal drug policies, programs, and projects.
  • The government’s priority thrust is to suppress the drug problem by putting behind bars manufacturers, traffickers, and peddlers of illegal drugs.
  • The government’s priority thrust includes transforming drug users into productive members of society through balanced and integrated supply and demand reduction strategies, including the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program.
  • The government targets both anti-crime enforcement and advocacy, as well as rehabilitation and reintegration, through clustered implementation.

Creation of ICAD and its composition

  • An Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) is created with PDEA as Chairperson (Section 1).
  • ICAD members are:
    • Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB)
    • Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
    • Department of Justice (DOJ)
    • Department of Health (DOH)
    • Department of Education (DepEd)
    • Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
    • Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
    • Department of Agriculture (DA)
    • Department of National Defense (DND)
    • Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
    • Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
    • Public Attorney's Office (PAO)
    • Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)
    • Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
    • Philippine National Police (PNP)
    • National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
    • Bureau of Customs (BOC)
    • Bureau of Immigration (BI)
    • Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
    • Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)
  • ICAD Chairperson PDEA has overall responsibility to ensure that ICAD objectives and the clusters created under the order are accomplished (Section 1).
  • Each member agency must designate a permanent representative to ICAD with the rank of Undersecretary or Assistant Secretary, or their equivalent (Section 1).
  • The ICAD may invite other government agencies and instrumentalities as members as it deems necessary (Section 1).

ICAD functions and coordination mandate

  • ICAD ensures that each member agency implements and complies with all policies, laws, and issuances pertaining to the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign in an integrated and synchronized manner (Section 2).
  • ICAD specific functions include:
    • Ensuring effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to street-level peddlers and users (Section 2(a)).
    • Spearheading and coordinating implementation of the National Anti-Drug Plan of Action (NADPA) 2015-2020 (Section 2(b)).
    • Ensuring comprehensive implementation of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program (Section 2(c)).
    • Ensuring intensive conduct of advocacy campaign initiatives (Section 2(d)).
    • Ensuring member-agency roles and responsibilities are carried out efficiently and effectively (Section 2(e)).
    • Cleansing the bureaucracy of unscrupulous personnel involved in illegal drug activities (Section 2(f)).
    • Ensuring that government anti-illegal drug objectives are achieved (Section 2(g)).
  • ICAD enlists assistance of concerned public and private agencies, including local government units, to assist implementation of the anti-illegal drug campaign (Section 2).
  • ICAD seeks assistance from the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate and prosecute public officials involved in illegal drug activities (Section 2).

ICAD clusters and their operative roles

  • Upon effectivity, ICAD organizes into the following clusters (Section 3):
    • Enforcement Cluster
    • Justice Cluster
    • Advocacy Cluster
    • Rehabilitation and Reintegration Cluster
  • The Enforcement Cluster conducts anti-illegal drug operations with support of other law enforcement agencies through PDEA and the National Anti-Drug Task Force under Section 4, including investigations against drug syndicates, financiers, and other target personalities (Section 3(a)).
  • In conducting anti-illegal drug operations, the PDEA and the Task Force may seek assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, and all other agencies subject to applicable laws, rules, and regulations; when called by the ICAD Chairperson, the concerned agency provides required personnel and resources to accomplish the order’s objectives (Section 3(a)).
  • The Justice Cluster is primarily responsible for expeditious prosecution of all drug cases, legal assistance to law enforcers, and ensuring public attorneys are available to protect individuals’ rights, including during voluntary surrenders and warrantless arrests during anti-illegal drug operations (Section 3(b)).
  • The Advocacy Cluster conducts a nationwide advocacy campaign for the anti-illegal drug policy and all implementing programs (Section 3(c)).
  • The Rehabilitation and Reintegration Cluster implements drug rehabilitation programs and ensures reintegration of former drug dependents and other drug personalities as useful members of society (Section 3(d)).
  • ICAD may form additional clusters or consolidate existing ones for effective implementation (Section 3).
  • The DDB is included as a member of all ICAD clusters in accordance with its mandate under Republic Act No. 9165 (Section 3).

National Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force

  • The ICAD Chairperson establishes and activates a National Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force to undertake sustained anti-illegal drug operations (Section 4).
  • Anti-drug operations of the Task Force are closely coordinated with PDEA (Section 4).
  • The Task Force is composed of members of law enforcement agencies, including members of institutions called upon for assistance under the order (Section 4).
  • The President designates the Task Force head/commander, who is a senior law enforcement officer and reports directly to the PDEA Director General (Section 4).
  • The Task Force Commander is responsible for the overall operation of the Task Force (Section 4).

Reporting, monitoring, and consolidation

  • PDEA conducts regular conferences with ICAD members to monitor and evaluate each cluster’s performance and accomplishments (Section 5).
  • Each ICAD member submits a periodic report to its respective Cluster Heads (Section 5).
  • Cluster Heads submit a consolidated cluster report to the ICAD Chairperson, with DDB receiving a copy (Section 5).
  • The ICAD Chairperson consolidates all reports for submission to the Office of the President (Section 5).

Funding and release of necessary resources

  • Initial implementation funds come from available funds of the members of the ICAD and other appropriate funding sources, subject to existing budgeting, accounting, and auditing laws, rules, and regulations (Section 6).
  • The Department of Budget and Management is directed to coordinate with ICAD to facilitate and expedite the release of necessary funding for implementation (Section 6).

Separability and repealing effect

  • If any part or provision is held unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts continue in full force and effect (Section 7).
  • All orders, rules, regulations, issuances, or parts inconsistent with the order are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly (Section 8).

Analyze Cases Smarter, Faster
Jur helps you analyze cases smarter to comprehend faster, building context before diving into full texts. AI-powered analysis, always verify critical details.

About Privacy Terms