Letter of Instruction 337 TO : The Secretary of National Defense

The Secretary of Local Governments and Community Development The Director General, Integrated National Police WHEREAS, it is the duty and responsibility of local government officials to assist the Chief Executive in the proper enforcement and execution of the laws of the land; WHEREAS, under Presidential Decree No. 765, dated 8 August 1975, the police forces throughout the country have been integrated and, as a consequence, the operational and administrative control over such forces have been transferred to the Integrated National Police; WHEREAS, it is imperative to define and delineate the functions of local civil officials and the Integrated National Police units, including their relationships vis-a-vis each other, relative to the maintenance of peace and order and public safety; WHEREAS, there is a need for establishing a system of coordination and cooperation between the local executives and the Integrated National Police to effectively preserve law and order thru joint efforts and undertaking, including the involvement of the citizenry; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do order and direct the following:

1. The Manager of the Metropolitan Manila Commission, with respect to the Greater Manila Area as defined in Presidential Decree No. 824, issued November 7, 1975, the provincial governors, the city mayors and the municipal mayors, shall have the following powers and responsibilities relative to peace and order and public safety: a. See that laws and ordinances in their respective jurisdictions are faithfully executed by calling upon the Commanders of the Integrated National Police units therein or the members of such forces, to suppress disorder, riot, lawless violence or rebellious or seditious conspiracy and other criminal activities, enforce laws, and apprehend the violations thereof. b. Bring to the attention of such Integrated National Police forces any problem on peace and order, and/or make appropriate recommendations to improve law-enforcement and public safety services in the area. c. Extend necessary support, cooperation and assistance to the Integrated National Police in the latter's principal duty of preserving peace and order and insuring public safety therein. 2. The Barangay Captains, the Barangay Chairman, Council Members and Leaders, shall, within their respective jurisdictions, have the following powers and responsibilities: a. Report immediately to police authorities, the occurrence of any crime, accident, public disturbance, existence of crime-breeding areas, presence of escaped prisoners or criminal elements, of which they have personal knowledge or which may have been brought to their attention. b. Assist law-enforcement officers and other competent authorities in tracing the

whereabouts of missing persons, recovering stolen properties or confiscating contrabands, and in the service or execution of warrants and other judicial processes. 3. Relative to their powers and responsibilities as provided in Section 2, Presidential Decree No. 765, the Commanders of the Integrated National Police forces shall keep the local executives informed of the crime incidents occurring in their respective jurisdictions, and of such other matters relative to law and order and public safety; they shall cooperate and/or coordinate with the said civil officials for the effective and faithful execution of lawenforcement and public safety programs. 4. Appropriate Police Advisory Councils, composed of local civil officials, civic-spirited citizens and/or representatives of sectoral organizations, shall be created in every level of command of the Integrated National Police to advise the latter on matters pertaining to peace and order and public safety, assist in community relations and public information, and enhance or promote citizens' involvement in the said programs. 5. Any member of the Integrated National Police who refuses or fails/neglects, without justifiable cause, to take necessary actions on the matters brought to his attention under sub-paragraphs 1a and 1b above, shall be subject to disciplinary actions under existing laws and/or rules and regulations of the Integrated National Police. 6. In the implementation of this Letter of Instructions, appropriate circular or rules and regulations shall be jointly issued by you.

Done in the City of Manila, this 17th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.