EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 868, March 08, 2010

AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 154 DATED 12 DECEMBER 2002

WHEREAS, there is a need to further strengthen the Board of Pardons and Parole as a pillar of the Philippine criminal justice system;

WHEREAS, the number of inmates has significantly increased despite the continuing efforts at jail decongestion resulting to the increase in the number of cases for review by the Board;

WHEREAS, there is also a need to ensure the continuity of the workflow which usually is affected by the change in Leadership of the Board;

WHEREAS, Presidential Decree No. 1416 as amended by P.D. No. 1772, in relation to Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book IV of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the “Administrative Code of 1987?, the President is expressly granted the continuing authority to recognize the administrative structure of the Office of the President to, among others, promote efficiency;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Section 1 of Executive Order (EO) No. 154, dated 12, December 2002 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 1. Composition of the Board. — In order to effectively exercise its powers and functions, the Board of Pardons and Parole created in accordance with the provisions of Act No. 4103, as amended, is hereby reorganized. It shall be headed by a Chairman who shall have the rank and privileges of an Undersecretary. He shall be assisted by seven (7) members, consisting of a sociologist, a clergyman, an educator, a person with training and expertise in correction work, a member of the Philippine Bar, a retired member of the Judiciary, and the Administrator of the Parole and Probation Administration, as ex-officio member, who shall all have the rank and privileges as an Assistant Secretary. The Chairman and the members of the Board, one of whom must be a woman, shall be appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice, to serve full time and with a term of office of six (6) years.”

Section 2. Section 2 of EO 154, Series of 2002 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC 2. Increase in Compensation of the Chairman and Members of the Board. — The Chairman and each of the seven (7) members of the Board of Pardons and Parole shall receive honoraria equivalent to the hiring rate of an Undersecretary (i.e. Salary Grade 30) and an Assistant Secretary (i.e. Salary Grade 29), in accordance with existing laws, rules, and regulations.”

Section 3. Section 5. of EO 154, Series of 2002 is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 5. Funding. — The financial resources for any changes in the organization and staffing of the Board as result of this reorganization shall be taken from the available funds of the Department of Justice.”

Section 4. Repealing Clause.—All executive orders, instructions, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are contrary to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 5. Effectivity.—This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 8 th day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Ten.

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) LEANDRO R. MENDOZA

Executive Secretary