EO 216: Roles in Internal Security Operations

Executive Order No. 216 is issued to implement Section 12 of Republic Act No. 6975 on shifting and coordinating internal security primary and supporting roles.
Section 4 recognizes the initial role structure under Republic Act No. 6975, making January 1, 1995 the starting date for the DILG-PNP primary role except in specified areas.
Section 5 authorizes the President, upon recommendation of the National Peace and Order Council, to shift who assumes the primary role in specified areas.

Executive Order No. 216 is enacted to assure smoothness, continuity, consistency, integration, and coordination of internal security efforts during shifts between primary and supporting roles.
Section 1 requires internal security management arrangements that ensure continued, consistent, integrated, and coordinated measures across concerned agencies and forces.
Section 6 establishes a monitoring and coordination mechanism to support integrated planning and reporting to the President on internal security concerns.

Section 2 defines “primary role” as providing the principal planning, direction, control, and resources for internal security operations, including the suppression of insurgency.
Section 3 defines “support role” as assisting the lead agency with adequate personnel and material resources for internal security operations, including the suppression of insurgency.

Section 4 provides that the DILG-PNP assumes the primary role and the DND-AFP assumes the support role in internal security operations effective January 1, 1995, except in specified areas.
Section 4 calls on DND-AFP to assume the primary role, with DILG-PNP in the support role, in the following areas, as recommended by the National Peace and Order Council in Resolution No. 10-94:
- All provinces in the island of Mindanao;
- All the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi;
- All provinces in the island of Panay;
- All provinces in the island of Samar;
- All provinces within the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); and
- Southern Quezon and all provinces of the Bicol Region.
Section 4 requires that general law enforcement functions nationwide continue to be the primary concern of the DILG-PNP.

Section 5 authorizes the President to call upon the AFP to assume the primary role in internal security operations in other areas, depending on the internal security condition in each particular area.
Section 5 authorizes the President, upon recommendation of the National Peace and Order Council, to approve the turn-over of the primary role to the PNP in others, depending on the internal security condition in each particular area.
Section 5 makes role changes contingent on both:
- a recommendation of the National Peace and Order Council, and
- the internal security condition in each particular area.

Section 1 requires the DND and the DILG to jointly prepare Implementing Guidelines for Presidential approval to:
- define the strategic concept of the internal security program,
- determine various levels of internal security conditions, and
- establish appropriate government responses for each level.
Section 1 requires the Implementing Guidelines to define the responsibilities for primary and supporting roles of concerned agencies and forces in each case.
Section 6 establishes a Joint AFP-PNP Secretariat to:
- monitor internal security operations,
- determine the existing or projected internal security condition level in each area,
- prepare integrated plans,
- facilitate inter-agency coordination, and
- prepare appropriate reports to the President on the internal security program and other internal security concerns.

Section 4 sets January 1, 1995 as the effective date for the general shift to DILG-PNP primary and DND-AFP support, subject to specified exceptions.
Section 7 provides immediate effectivity for Executive Order No. 216, enabling commencement of internal security management implementation measures, including preparation of the Implementing Guidelines under Section 1.