MODULE 4 SEGMENT 2- Policies in Handling Crisis/Hostage Situation

1. Coordinated Government Response to a Crisis (EO 320 as amended by EO

366 series of 1996)

- The government shall handle a terrorist-based crisis through a Crisis

Management Committee (CMC) that is activated by the appropriate level of
the Peace and Order Council (POC) with jurisdiction over the incident. The
CMC directs the mobilization of necessary government resources to assist in
the resolution of a crisis. It shall also set the mode of interoperability between
concerned agencies to ensure that operational demands during the crisis
period are aptly met, and all government actions are coordinated and
complementary.

CMC Organizational Structure at Different Levels

National Crisis Management Committee

NATIONAL LEVEL

SEC. DILG
CHAIRMAN
!
----------------------------------------------------!---------------------------------------------------
! ! ! ! ! !
SEC. DND SEC.DSWD SEC. DOJ CHIEF, PNP CSAFP Other Concerned
Concerned
Cabinet Agencies

Regional Crisis Management Committee

REGIONAL LEVEL

RPOC CHAIRMAN
!
VICE CHAIRMAN RPOC
!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
! ! ! ! ! !
RD DILG RD, OCD RD, DSWD RD, PRO DIV CMDR NGO REP
AFP

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Provincial Crisis Management Committee
 PROVINCIAL LEVEL

PROV GOVERNOR
!
VICE GOVERNOR
!
! ! ! ! ! !
PNP, PD PROV SW PROV, DILG PROV BRIG COMDR NGO REP
OFCR PROSEC AFP

Highly Urbanized City Crisis Management Committee

HIGHLY URBANIZED CITY LEVEL

CITY MAYOR
!
VICE MAYOR
!
! ! ! ! ! !
CD, DILG PNP, COP CITY SW OFCR CITY PROSEC AREA COMDR NGO REP
AFP

Component City Crisis Management Committee

COMPONENT CITY LEVEL

COMPONENT CITY
MAYOR
!
COMPONENT CITY
VICE MAYOR
!
! ! ! ! ! !
LOC CITY PNP, COP CITY SW OFCR CITY PROSEC AREA COMDR NGO REP
GOV OFR AFP

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Municipal Crisis Management Committee
 MUNICIPAL LEVEL

MUNICIPAL MAYOR
!
MUNICIPAL VICE MAYOR
!
! ! ! ! ! !
MUN LOC PNP, COP MUN SW PROV PROSEC AREA COMDR NGO
GOV OPN OFCR REP AFP REP

2. Peaceful means and Other Options in the Resolution of a Crisis

- The government shall exhaust all peaceful means in seeking a

resolution to a crisis to minimize, if not prevent, the loss of life and
destruction of property. If all peaceful means are exhausted, the government
shall act promptly, decisively and effectively, choosing from the whole range
of police and military actions appropriate to the circumstances. Armed action
shall, however, be calibrated as required by the situation, to ensure safety of
victims and innocent civilians.

3. No-Compromise with Terrorists

- The government shall not accede to blackmail or terrorist demands.

Nor shall it grant ransom and concessions that will benefit the perpetrators
and give terrorists an operational advantage over the government. Terrorists
should be prevented or be denied from benefitting from the fruits of their
crimes.

4. Safety of Victims and Civilians

- the safety of the civilians shall be the government’s primordial

concern in the resolution of a crisis. In situations involving foreign national,
the government shall act in accordance with its policies, and maintain close
contact and coordination with the foreign government/s concerned.

5. Prompt Handling of a Crisis at the Lowest Level Possible

- All terrorist based crises are generally police matters and shall be
handled as such unless the situation escalates into that which requires a
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higher unit of authority to carry out the government’s Anti-Terrorism Policy.
The police, military and local government units (LGU) shall build the capability
of effectively handled terrorist-related incidents and arrest their escalation.

6. Respect for Human Rights

- All government personnel responding to any crisis situation shall at all

time respect human rights of people, including those suspects of terrorist
activities.

7. Crisis Situation Involving Foreign Nationals

- In crisis situations involving foreign nationals or in crisis incidents

inside an embassy or foreign occupied facility, the government will act in
accordance with the existing bilateral understanding or agreement with the
foreign government involved. In the absence of such understanding or
agreement, the government will act in accordance with its policies and
maintain close contact and coordination with the foreign government whose
national or property is involved.

8. Handling Hostage Situations

- The PNP shall ensure the safety of civilian hostages as paramount

consideration that shall take precedence over all others.
- Understand and minimize the mental anguish and agony of the
victim’s family, relatives and friends.
- Achieve the early liberation of the hostages or victims.
- Ensure the recovery and return of the loot or the fruits of the crime.
- Ensure the successful case build-up and prosecution of cases against
the perpetrators.
- Attain effective integration of the efforts of the operating units for
optimum results, to minimize duplication and unnecessary competition, and
to promote efficiency.

9. AFP Support Role

- The PNP shall enforce laws and ordinances and perform other law
enforcement functions. In the performance of these functions, it shall have
unimpeded access to the operational area upon prior coordination, and it may
call upon, and shall be assisted by the AFP. However, the AFP and its units and
personnel shall not have law enforcement authority unless the exercise of

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such is in support of the PNP or other law enforcement agency or as a private
citizen within the purview of Section 6 of Rule 113 of the Rules of Court.

The PNP shall play a supportive role to the AFP during national
emergencies, including disasters and calamities. In the performance of their
respective functions, the spirit of cooperation, coordination and
accommodation shall prevail. Direct liaison, including regular inter-service
intelligence exchanges and socials among those concerned is encouraged.
Service courtesies, particularly in regard to those accorded rank and seniority,
shall be observed among personnel of both the PNP and AFP, especially during
the conduct of official business.

ACTIVITY 5

Name__________________________Yr and Sec__________ Date__________

Enumerate and discuss the six (6) different levels of the CMC Organizational
Structure.

QUIZ 5

Choose 5 among the 9 Policies in Handling Crisis/ Hostage Situation and

discuss briefly each as to how you understood it.

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