Section 19August 18, 2009, Sec./Art. 19

The FDA shall establish a Regulatory Enforcement Unit (REU) for a period not exceeding five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act. It shall be composed of at least five (5) qualified personnel in every region who shall be directly under the control and supervision of the Deputy Director-General for Field Regulatory Operations and shall be administratively supported by the field offices. They shall:

(a) Bear arms, wear official uniforms and insignias and shall be classified as law enforcement agents;

(b) Serve and execute rulings, orders, and decisions of the Director-General of the FDA; and

(c) Execute and serve search warrants and arrest warrants issued by the courts in connection with violations under this Act and related laws concerning the regulation of health products.

All law enforcement agents shall undergo the appropriate training to equip them with the necessary skills needed for this purpose. Their authority and functions shall be strictly limited to the implementation of the FDA's regulatory functions.

All regional regulatory enforcement units shall be headed by a lawyer who is at least thirty (30) years old but not older than fifty (50), an Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) member of good standing, and shall have a rank of a Division Director; and an assistant who must be at the very least a law graduate who shall have a rank of an Assistant Division Director.