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Special Penal Laws 1st Assignment

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165 | June 7, 2002

AN ACT INSTITUTING THE COMPREHENSIVE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 2002,

REPEALING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6425, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DANGEROUS DRUGS
ACT OF 1972, AS AMENDED, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known and cited as the "Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs
Act of 2002".

Section 4. Importation of Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals.- .The
penalty of life imprisonment to death and a ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to
Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law,
shall import or bring into the Philippines any dangerous drug, regardless of the quantity and purity
involved, including any and all species of opium poppy or any part thereof or substances derived
therefrom even for floral, decorative and culinary purposes.

The penalty of imprisonment ranging from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a
fine ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos
(P500,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall import any
controlled precursor and essential chemical.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless
authorized under this Act, shall import or bring into the Philippines any dangerous drug and/or
controlled precursor and essential chemical through the use of a diplomatic passport, diplomatic
facilities or any other means involving his/her official status intended to facilitate the unlawful entry of
the same. In addition, the diplomatic passport shall be confiscated and canceled.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed upon any person, who
organizes, manages or acts as a "financier" of any of the illegal activities prescribed in this Section.

The penalty of twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment and a fine
ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00)
shall be imposed upon any person, who acts as a "protector/coddler" of any violator of the provisions
under this Section.

Section 5. Sale, Trading, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of

Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals. - The penalty of life
imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to Ten
million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall
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sell, trade, administer, dispense, deliver, give away to another, distribute dispatch in transit or transport
any dangerous drug, including any and all species of opium poppy regardless of the quantity and purity
involved, or shall act as a broker in any of such transactions.

The penalty of imprisonment ranging from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a
fine ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos
(P500,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall sell, trade,
administer, dispense, deliver, give away to another, distribute, dispatch in transit or transport any
controlled precursor and essential chemical, or shall act as a broker in such transactions.

If the sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution or transportation of any dangerous
drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical transpires within one hundred (100) meters from
the school, the maximum penalty shall be imposed in every case.

For drug pushers who use minors or mentally incapacitated individuals as runners, couriers and
messengers, or in any other capacity directly connected to the dangerous drugs and/or controlled
precursors and essential chemical trade, the maximum penalty shall be imposed in every case.

If the victim of the offense is a minor or a mentally incapacitated individual, or should a dangerous drug
and/or a controlled precursor and essential chemical involved in any offense herein provided be the
proximate cause of death of a victim thereof, the maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall
be imposed.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed upon any person who organizes,
manages or acts as a "financier" of any of the illegal activities prescribed in this Section.

The penalty of twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment and a fine
ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00)
shall be imposed upon any person, who acts as a "protector/coddler" of any violator of the provisions
under this Section.

Section 6. Maintenance of a Den, Dive or Resort. - The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine
ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall
be imposed upon any person or group of persons who shall maintain a den, dive or resort where any
dangerous drug is used or sold in any form.

The penalty of imprisonment ranging from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a
fine ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos
(P500,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person or group of persons who shall maintain a den, dive, or
resort where any controlled precursor and essential chemical is used or sold in any form.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed in every case where any
dangerous drug is administered, delivered or sold to a minor who is allowed to use the same in such a
place.
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Should any dangerous drug be the proximate cause of the death of a person using the same in such den,
dive or resort, the penalty of death and a fine ranging from One million (P1,000,000.00) to Fifteen
million pesos (P500,000.00) shall be imposed on the maintainer, owner and/or operator.

If such den, dive or resort is owned by a third person, the same shall be confiscated and escheated in
favor of the government: Provided, That the criminal complaint shall specifically allege that such place
is intentionally used in the furtherance of the crime: Provided, further, That the prosecution shall prove
such intent on the part of the owner to use the property for such purpose: Provided, finally, That the
owner shall be included as an accused in the criminal complaint.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed upon any person who organizes,
manages or acts as a "financier" of any of the illegal activities prescribed in this Section.

The penalty twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment and a fine ranging
from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) shall be
imposed upon any person, who acts as a "protector/coddler" of any violator of the provisions under this
Section.

Section 7. Employees and Visitors of a Den, Dive or Resort. - The penalty of imprisonment ranging
from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a fine ranging from One hundred
thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) shall be imposed upon:

(a) Any employee of a den, dive or resort, who is aware of the nature of the place as such; and

(b) Any person who, not being included in the provisions of the next preceding, paragraph, is aware of
the nature of the place as such and shall knowingly visit the same

Section 8. Manufacture of Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals. -
The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging Five hundred thousand pesos
(P500,000.00) to Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless
authorized by law, shall engage in the manufacture of any dangerous drug.

The penalty of imprisonment ranging from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a
fine ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos
(P500,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall manufacture any
controlled precursor and essential chemical.

The presence of any controlled precursor and essential chemical or laboratory equipment in the
clandestine laboratory is a prima facie proof of manufacture of any dangerous drug. It shall be
considered an aggravating circumstance if the clandestine laboratory is undertaken or established under
the following circumstances:

(a) Any phase of the manufacturing process was conducted in the presence or with the help of minor/s:
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(b) Any phase or manufacturing process was established or undertaken within one hundred (100) meters
of a residential, business, church or school premises;

(c) Any clandestine laboratory was secured or protected with booby traps;

(d) Any clandestine laboratory was concealed with legitimate business operations; or

(e) Any employment of a practitioner, chemical engineer, public official or foreigner.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed upon any person, who
organizes, manages or acts as a "financier" of any of the illegal activities prescribed in this Section.

The penalty of twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment and a fine
ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00)
shall be imposed upon any person, who acts as a "protector/coddler" of any violator of the provisions
under this Section.

Section 9. Illegal Chemical Diversion of Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals. - The penalty
of imprisonment ranging from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a fine ranging
from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) shall be
imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall illegally divert any controlled precursor
and essential chemical.

Section 10. Manufacture or Delivery of Equipment, Instrument, Apparatus, and Other Paraphernalia for
Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals. - The penalty of imprisonment
ranging from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a fine ranging from One
hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) shall be imposed
upon any person who shall deliver, possess with intent to deliver, or manufacture with intent to deliver
equipment, instrument, apparatus and other paraphernalia for dangerous drugs, knowing, or under
circumstances where one reasonably should know, that it will be used to plant, propagate, cultivate,
grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test, analyze, pack, repack,
store, contain or conceal any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical in
violation of this Act.

The penalty of imprisonment ranging from six (6) months and one (1) day to four (4) years and a fine
ranging from Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) to Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) shall be imposed if
it will be used to inject, ingest, inhale or otherwise introduce into the human body a dangerous drug in
violation of this Act.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed upon any person, who uses a
minor or a mentally incapacitated individual to deliver such equipment, instrument, apparatus and other
paraphernalia for dangerous drugs.
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Section 11. Possession of Dangerous Drugs. - The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine
ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall
be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall possess any dangerous drug in the
following quantities, regardless of the degree of purity thereof:

(1) 10 grams or more of opium;

(2) 10 grams or more of morphine;

(3) 10 grams or more of heroin;

(4) 10 grams or more of cocaine or cocaine hydrochloride;

(5) 50 grams or more of methamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu";

(6) 10 grams or more of marijuana resin or marijuana resin oil;

(7) 500 grams or more of marijuana; and

(8) 10 grams or more of other dangerous drugs such as, but not limited to,
methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDA) or "ecstasy", paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA),
trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA), lysergic acid diethylamine (LSD), gamma hydroxyamphetamine
(GHB), and those similarly designed or newly introduced drugs and their derivatives, without having
any therapeutic value or if the quantity possessed is far beyond therapeutic requirements, as determined
and promulgated by the Board in accordance to Section 93, Article XI of this Act.

Otherwise, if the quantity involved is less than the foregoing quantities, the penalties shall be graduated
as follows:

(1) Life imprisonment and a fine ranging from Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00) to Five
hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00), if the quantity of methamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu" is
ten (10) grams or more but less than fifty (50) grams;

(2) Imprisonment of twenty (20) years and one (1) day to life imprisonment and a fine ranging from
Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00), if the
quantities of dangerous drugs are five (5) grams or more but less than ten (10) grams of opium,
morphine, heroin, cocaine or cocaine hydrochloride, marijuana resin or marijuana resin oil,
methamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu", or other dangerous drugs such as, but not limited to,
MDMA or "ecstasy", PMA, TMA, LSD, GHB, and those similarly designed or newly introduced drugs
and their derivatives, without having any therapeutic value or if the quantity possessed is far beyond
therapeutic requirements; or three hundred (300) grams or more but less than five (hundred) 500) grams
of marijuana; and
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(3) Imprisonment of twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a fine ranging from
Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) to Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00), if the
quantities of dangerous drugs are less than five (5) grams of opium, morphine, heroin, cocaine or
cocaine hydrochloride, marijuana resin or marijuana resin oil, methamphetamine hydrochloride or
"shabu", or other dangerous drugs such as, but not limited to, MDMA or "ecstasy", PMA, TMA, LSD,
GHB, and those similarly designed or newly introduced drugs and their derivatives, without having any
therapeutic value or if the quantity possessed is far beyond therapeutic requirements; or less than three
hundred (300) grams of marijuana.

Section 12. Possession of Equipment, Instrument, Apparatus and Other Paraphernalia for Dangerous
Drugs. - The penalty of imprisonment ranging from six (6) months and one (1) day to four (4) years and
a fine ranging from Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) to Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) shall be
imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall possess or have under his/her control
any equipment, instrument, apparatus and other paraphernalia fit or intended for smoking, consuming,
administering, injecting, ingesting, or introducing any dangerous drug into the body: Provided, That in
the case of medical practitioners and various professionals who are required to carry such equipment,
instrument, apparatus and other paraphernalia in the practice of their profession, the Board shall
prescribe the necessary implementing guidelines thereof.

The possession of such equipment, instrument, apparatus and other paraphernalia fit or intended for any
of the purposes enumerated in the preceding paragraph shall be prima facie evidence that the possessor
has smoked, consumed, administered to himself/herself, injected, ingested or used a dangerous drug and
shall be presumed to have violated Section 15 of this Act.

Section 14. Possession of Equipment, Instrument, Apparatus and Other Paraphernalia for Dangerous
Drugs During Parties, Social Gatherings or Meetings. - The maximum penalty provided for in Section
12 of this Act shall be imposed upon any person, who shall possess or have under his/her control any
equipment, instrument, apparatus and other paraphernalia fit or intended for smoking, consuming,
administering, injecting, ingesting, or introducing any dangerous drug into the body, during parties,
social gatherings or meetings, or in the proximate company of at least two (2) persons.

Section 15. Use of Dangerous Drugs. – A person apprehended or arrested, who is found to be positive
for use of any dangerous drug, after a confirmatory test, shall be imposed a penalty of a minimum of six
(6) months rehabilitation in a government center for the first offense, subject to the provisions of Article
VIII of this Act. If apprehended using any dangerous drug for the second time, he/she shall suffer the
penalty of imprisonment ranging from six (6) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years and a fine
ranging from Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) to Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00):
Provided, That this Section shall not be applicable where the person tested is also found to have in
his/her possession such quantity of any dangerous drug provided for under Section 11 of this Act, in
which case the provisions stated therein shall apply.

Section 16. Cultivation or Culture of Plants Classified as Dangerous Drugs or are Sources Thereof. -
The penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos
(P500,000.00) to Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person, who shall
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plant, cultivate or culture marijuana, opium poppy or any other plant regardless of quantity, which is or
may hereafter be classified as a dangerous drug or as a source from which any dangerous drug may be
manufactured or derived: Provided, That in the case of medical laboratories and medical research
centers which cultivate or culture marijuana, opium poppy and other plants, or materials of such
dangerous drugs for medical experiments and research purposes, or for the creation of new types of
medicine, the Board shall prescribe the necessary implementing guidelines for the proper cultivation,
culture, handling, experimentation and disposal of such plants and materials.

The land or portions thereof and/or greenhouses on which any of said plants is cultivated or cultured
shall be confiscated and escheated in favor of the State, unless the owner thereof can prove lack of
knowledge of such cultivation or culture despite the exercise of due diligence on his/her part. If the land
involved is part of the public domain, the maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be
imposed upon the offender.

The maximum penalty provided for under this Section shall be imposed upon any person, who
organizes, manages or acts as a "financier" of any of the illegal activities prescribed in this Section.

The penalty of twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years of imprisonment and a fine
ranging from One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00)
shall be imposed upon any person, who acts as a "protector/coddler" of any violator of the provisions
under this Section.

Section 17. Maintenance and Keeping of Original Records of Transactions on Dangerous Drugs and/or
Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals. - The penalty of imprisonment ranging from one (1)
year and one (1) day to six (6) years and a fine ranging from Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) to Fifty
thousand pesos (P50,000.00) shall be imposed upon any practitioner, manufacturer, wholesaler,
importer, distributor, dealer or retailer who violates or fails to comply with the maintenance and keeping
of the original records of transactions on any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential
chemical in accordance with Section 40 of this Act.

An additional penalty shall be imposed through the revocation of the license to practice his/her
profession, in case of a practitioner, or of the business, in case of a manufacturer, seller, importer,
distributor, dealer or retailer.

Section 18. Unnecessary Prescription of Dangerous Drugs. – The penalty of imprisonment ranging from
twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a fine ranging from One hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00) to Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) and the additional penalty of the
revocation of his/her license to practice shall be imposed upon the practitioner, who shall prescribe any
dangerous drug to any person whose physical or physiological condition does not require the use or in
the dosage prescribed therein, as determined by the Board in consultation with recognized competent
experts who are authorized representatives of professional organizations of practitioners, particularly
those who are involved in the care of persons with severe pain.
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Section 19. Unlawful Prescription of Dangerous Drugs. – The penalty of life imprisonment to death and
a fine ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00)
shall be imposed upon any person, who, unless authorized by law, shall make or issue a prescription or
any other writing purporting to be a prescription for any dangerous drug.

Section 21. Custody and Disposition of Confiscated, Seized, and/or Surrendered Dangerous Drugs,
Plant Sources of Dangerous Drugs, Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals,
Instruments/Paraphernalia and/or Laboratory Equipment. – The PDEA shall take charge and have
custody of all dangerous drugs, plant sources of dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential
chemicals, as well as instruments/paraphernalia and/or laboratory equipment so confiscated, seized
and/or surrendered, for proper disposition in the following manner:

(1) The apprehending team having initial custody and control of the drugs shall, immediately after
seizure and confiscation, physically inventory and photograph the same in the presence of the accused or
the person/s from whom such items were confiscated and/or seized, or his/her representative or counsel,
a representative from the media and the Department of Justice (DOJ), and any elected public official
who shall be required to sign the copies of the inventory and be given a copy thereof;

(2) Within twenty-four (24) hours upon confiscation/seizure of dangerous drugs, plant sources of
dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals, as well as instruments/paraphernalia
and/or laboratory equipment, the same shall be submitted to the PDEA Forensic Laboratory for a
qualitative and quantitative examination;

(3) A certification of the forensic laboratory examination results, which shall be done under oath by the
forensic laboratory examiner, shall be issued within twenty-four (24) hours after the receipt of the
subject item/s: Provided, That when the volume of the dangerous drugs, plant sources of dangerous
drugs, and controlled precursors and essential chemicals does not allow the completion of testing within
the time frame, a partial laboratory examination report shall be provisionally issued stating therein the
quantities of dangerous drugs still to be examined by the forensic laboratory: Provided, however, That a
final certification shall be issued on the completed forensic laboratory examination on the same within
the next twenty-four (24) hours;

(4) After the filing of the criminal case, the Court shall, within seventy-two (72) hours, conduct an
ocular inspection of the confiscated, seized and/or surrendered dangerous drugs, plant sources of
dangerous drugs, and controlled precursors and essential chemicals, including the
instruments/paraphernalia and/or laboratory equipment, and through the PDEA shall within twenty-four
(24) hours thereafter proceed with the destruction or burning of the same, in the presence of the accused
or the person/s from whom such items were confiscated and/or seized, or his/her representative or
counsel, a representative from the media and the DOJ, civil society groups and any elected public
official. The Board shall draw up the guidelines on the manner of proper disposition and destruction of
such item/s which shall be borne by the offender: Provided, That those item/s of lawful commerce, as
determined by the Board, shall be donated, used or recycled for legitimate purposes: Provided, further,
That a representative sample, duly weighed and recorded is retained;
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(5) The Board shall then issue a sworn certification as to the fact of destruction or burning of the subject
item/s which, together with the representative sample/s in the custody of the PDEA, shall be submitted
to the court having jurisdiction over the case. In all instances, the representative sample/s shall be kept to
a minimum quantity as determined by the Board;

(6) The alleged offender or his/her representative or counsel shall be allowed to personally observe all of
the above proceedings and his/her presence shall not constitute an admission of guilt. In case the said
offender or accused refuses or fails to appoint a representative after due notice in writing to the accused
or his/her counsel within seventy-two (72) hours before the actual burning or destruction of the evidence
in question, the Secretary of Justice shall appoint a member of the public attorney's office to represent
the former;

(7) After the promulgation and judgment in the criminal case wherein the representative sample/s was
presented as evidence in court, the trial prosecutor shall inform the Board of the final termination of the
case and, in turn, shall request the court for leave to turn over the said representative sample/s to the
PDEA for proper disposition and destruction within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the same;
and

(8) Transitory Provision: a) Within twenty-four (24) hours from the effectivity of this Act, dangerous
drugs defined herein which are presently in possession of law enforcement agencies shall, with leave of
court, be burned or destroyed, in the presence of representatives of the Court, DOJ, Department of
Health (DOH) and the accused/and or his/her counsel, and, b) Pending the organization of the PDEA,
the custody, disposition, and burning or destruction of seized/surrendered dangerous drugs provided
under this Section shall be implemented by the DOH.

Section 26. Attempt or Conspiracy. – Any attempt or conspiracy to commit the following unlawful acts
shall be penalized by the same penalty prescribed for the commission of the same as provided under this
Act:

(a) Importation of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical;

(b) Sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of any dangerous
drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical;

(c) Maintenance of a den, dive or resort where any dangerous drug is used in any form;

(d) Manufacture of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical; and

(e) Cultivation or culture of plants which are sources of dangerous drugs.