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S. No. 122 H. No. 1336 / 65 OG No. 42, 11193 (October 20, 1969)

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 5487, June 21, 1969 ]

AN ACT TO REGULATE THE ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF PRIVATE

DETECTIVE, WATCHMEN OR SECURITY GUARD AGENCIES.

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

SECTION 1. Short Title of Act.—This Act shall be known as "The Private Security Agency Law".

SEC. 2. Scope of this Act.—The organization, operation, business and activities of private detectives, watchmen or

security guards agencies shall be governed by the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms.— (a) Person.—As used in this Act, person shall include not only natural persons but also

juridical persons such as a corporation, partnership, company or association duly registered with the Securities and

Exchange Commission and/or the Bureau of Commerce, (b) Private Detective Agency.—A private detective agency
is any person, who, for hire or reward or on commission, conducts or carries on or holds himself or itself out as

conducting or carrying on a detective agency, or detective service, (c) Private Detective.—A Private detective is any

person who is not a member of  regular police agency or the Armed Forces of the Philippines who does detective

work for hire, reward, or commission, (d) Watchmen or Security Agency.—Any Person who offers or renders personal

services to watch ethier residential or business premises, or both, for hire or compensation thru subscription shall be 

known as watchmen and any person, association, partnership  or corporation, who recruits, trains, musters, furnishes

and solicits individuals or business firms, private or government-owned corporations in engaging his services or those

of its  watchmen, or  otherwise  conducts, carries on or holds himself or itself out as conducting or carrying on, any

agency, office, or service or watchers, or watch either residential or business premises, or both for hire or

compensation thru subscription shall be known as watchmen or security agency, (e) License or License Certificate.—

A document issued to a person by competent authority allowing such person to establish, direct manage or operate

the business or occupation of private  detective or intelligence and private watchman or security agency.

SEC.  4. Who May Organize a Security Watchman or Detective Agency.—Any Filipino citizen, or a corporation,

partnership or association one hundred percent of which is owned and controlled by Filipino citizens may organize  a

security, watchman or detective agency: Provided, That the operator or manager of said agency must be at least

twenty-three  years  of  age a high school graduate; of good moral character; having no previous record of any

conviction of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude; and not suffering from any of the following disqualifications :

(1)  Having been dishonorably discharged or separated from the Armed Forces of the Philippines;

(2)  Being a mental incompetent;

(3)  Being addicted to the use of narcotic drug or  drugs; and

(4)  Being a habitual drunkard.

For purposes of this Act, elective or appointive government  officials   and   government   employees   who   may   be

called upon to act on account of the functions of their respective offices in the implementation and enforcement of the

provisions of this Act, may not hold any interest,  directly or indirectly, in any security guard, watchman or private

detective agency.

SEC. 5. Qualifications Required.—No person shall be employed as security guard or watchman or private detective

unless he is: (a) a Filipino citizens; (b) a high school graduate; (c) physically and mentally fit; (d) not less than 21 nor

more than 50 years of age; (e) at least 5 feet and 4 inches in height; and (f) suffering none of the disqualifications

provided for in the preceding section: Provided, That foreigners who, are already employed as watchmen or security
guards prior to the approval of this Act shall not be subject to the above-mentioned requirements: Provided, further,

That veterans shall be given priority in employment as security guard, watchman or private detective; And Provided,

finally, That person convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude shall not be employed as security guard,

watchman or private detective.

SEC. 6. License Necessary.—No person shall engage in the business of, or act either as a private detective, or

detective agency; and either engage in the occupation, calling or employment of watchman or in the business of

watchman's agency without first having obtained the necessary permit from the Chief, Philippine Constabulary which

permit as approved is a prerequisite in obtaining a license or license certificate: Provided, That all existing private

detective or watchman or security guard agencies shall have a period of one (1) year from the approval of this Act to

secure the said license: Provided, further, That existing agencies, and any new agency which may hereafter apply for

a license, certify under oath that their Private detectives, watchmen or security guards, have received the appropriate

training from either the Philippine Constabulary, the National Bureau of Investigation, local police department, or any

other public or private institution duly recognized by the government to conduct police training.

SEC. 7. Application for License.—The application shall be made in writing and shall be filed with the Chief, Philippine

Constabulary. It shall contain the full name of the applicant, his age, civil status, his residence, and location of

business. If the applicant is a corporation, association or partnership, a copy of the certificate of registration with the

Securities and Exchange Commission together with its by-laws and articles of incorporation, with the Bureau of

Commerce.

SEC. 8. Fees to be Paid and Bonds.—When all requisites for the issuance of the license have been complied with,

the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary or his duly authorized representative shall issue a permit for the issuance of

such license and register the same in his office, upon payment by the applicant of the fee in .accordance with the

following schedule:

(a) the sum of one hundred pesos per annum as national license fee;

(b) the sum of fifty pesos per annum  as municipal license fee in any city where it may operate, the said fee to be

payable to the City treasurer concerned;

(c) the sum of twenty-five pesos per annum as municipal license fee for any municipality where it may operate, the

said fee to be payable to the municipal treasurer concerned;

(d) The private Detective and Watchman Agency shall in addition to the above pay a fixed Internal Revenue Tax of
one hundred pesos per annum in lieu of percentage taxes;

(e) The individual private detective and/or watchman shall pay for Mayor's Permit, Health and/or Sanitary fee an

amount not exceeding three pesos per annum and the agency shall pay the sum not exceeding ten pesos for Mayor's

Permit and Health and/or sanitary fees;

(f) The Chief of the Philippine Constabulary or his duly authorized representative shall issue an appointment over his

signature and affix the seal of his office, to each license and for each such appointment, the sum of one pesos shall

be paid.

The application shall further be accompanied by a bond issued by any competent or reputable surety or fidelity or

insurance company duly accredited by the office of the Insurance Commissioner in the sum of not less than five

thousand pesos nor more than ten thousand pesos in the discretion of the Chief, Philippine Constabulary, which bond

shall answer for  any valid and legal claim against the agency by its clients or employees: Provided, That licenses

issued in the province of an authorized representative of the Chief of Constabulary is subject to review by the Chief of

Constabulary.

SEC. 9. Employees Need Not be Licensed.—Every person operating, managing, directing or conducting a licensed

private detective or watchmen agency shall also be considered licensed private detective, or watchman and no

person shall be employed or used in a private detective work unless he be a licensed private detective or

watchman: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring detective license for persons

employed solely for clerical or manual work.

SEC. 10. Display of License.—The license shall be displayed at all times in a conspicuous and suitable place in the

agency office or headquarters of the agency and shall be exhibited at the request of any person whose jurisdiction is

in relation with the business of the agency or the employees thereof, or of the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary or

his duly authorized representative or of any peace officer.

SEC. 11. Supervision of the Philippine Constabulary.— Upon approval of this Act, the Philippine Constabulary  shall

exercise general supervision over the operation of all private detective and watchman or security guard agencies.

SEC. 12. Powers of City or Municipal Mayors in Cases of Emergency.—In case of emergency or in times of disaster

or calamities where the services of such agencies arise, the City or Municipal Mayor, as director of Civil Defense,

may muster or incorporate the services of the agency nearest the area where such emergency, disaster or calamity
arises and its duly licensed personnel to help maintain peace and order; and/or the prevention or apprehension of law

violators and in the preservation of life and property. Deputized private detectives, watchmen or security guards shall

take direct orders from the Chief of Police for the duration of the fire, inundation, earthquakes, riots or other

emergencies.

SEC. 13. Issuance of Firearms.—A watchman or security agency shall be entitled to possess firearms after having

satisfactorily passed the requirements prescribed by the Chief, Philippine Constabulary pertinent to the possession of

firearm of any caliber not higher than 45 caliber in a number not exceeding one firearm for every two watchman or

security guards in its employ: Provided, however, That a watchman or security agent shall be entitled to possess not

more than one riot gun or shotgun in order to provide adequate security when circumstances so demand: Provided,

further, That all the firearms mentioned herein shall be carried by the watchman or security guard only during his tour

of duty in proper uniform within the compound of the establishment except when he escorts big amounts of cash or

valuables in and out of said compound.

SEC. 14. Uniform.—The uniform of watchman or security guard as well as those organized, maintained or under the

employment of the government or any government-owned and/or controlled corporations, agencies or entities,  shall

be different from the uniform worn  and  prescribed for members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, City and

Municipal Police Force.  The Chief, Philippine Constabulary, through his duly authorized representative shall

prescribe the uniform or ornaments, equipment and paraphernalia to be worn by the security guards and watchmen

throughout the Philippines.

SEC.  15.  Compensation of Watchmen or Security Guards.—-Watchmen or security guards   shall receive a salary

not lower than that prescribed in the Minimum Wage Law.

SEC. 16. Limitations and Prohibitions.—1. On Membership: (a) No agency operating in the-City of Manila and

suburbs may employ more than 1,000 watchmen or security guards; (b) no agency operating in other cities and first

class municipalities may employ more than 500 watchmen or security guards; (c) no agency operating in

municipalities other than first class may employ more than 200 watchmen or security guards.

2. On organization No person, corporation, partnership or association may organize more than one agency in any 

one city or municipality.

3. On Service: No agency shall offer, render or accept  its services to gambling dens or other illegal enterprises. The

extent of the security service being provided by any  security agency shall not go beyond the whole compound  or

property of the person or establishment requesting the security service except when they escort big amount of  cash.

SEC. 17. Rules and Regulations by Chief, Philippine Constabulary.—The Chief of the Philippine Constabulary, in

consultation with the Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agency Operators, Incorporated and subject

to the provisions of existing laws, is hereby authorized to issue the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the

purpose of this Act.

SEC. 18. Penal Provision.—Any violation of this Act or the rule or regulation issued hereunder shall be punished by

suspension, or fine not exceeding P200.00 or cancellation of his or its licenses to operate, conduct, direct or manage

a private detective, watchman or security guard agency and all its members in the discretion of the court together with

the forfeiture of its bond filed with the Philippine Constabulary.

If the violation is committed by those persons mentioned under paragraph two, section four of this Act, the penalty

shall be imprisonment ranging from one to four years and fine ranging from one to four thousand pesos in the

discretion of the court.

SEC. 19. Repealing Clause.—All laws, rules, resolutions, municipal ordinances, regulations and administrative orders

contrary or inconsistent with the provisions hereof are hereby repealed.

SEC. 20.  Effectivity.—This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,  June 21.  1969.

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