WHEREAS, the Commission on Elections should be provided with
additional personnel to perform the added function of being the sole judge of
all contests relating to the elections, returns, and qualifications of all
members of the National Assembly and elective provincial and city officials;
and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 14 of Article XVII of the
Constitution, all records, equipment, buildings, facilities, and other
properties of any office or body abolished or reorganized under the Constitution
shall be transferred to the office or body to which its powers, functions, and
responsibilities substantially pertain; and it appearing that the Presidential,
Senate and House Electoral Tribunals perform functions which
substantially
are related to the functions of the Commission on
Elections;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as
Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant to
Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and General Order No. 1, dated
September 22, 1972, do hereby order and decree the transfer to the Commission on
Elections, effective May 1, 1973, of all the personnel, except those incumbents
whose services have heretofore already been terminated, as well as the funds,
appropriations, equipments, facilities, records and other properties, of the
Presidential, Senate and House Electoral Tribunals: Provided, That the Chairman
of the Commission on Elections shall exercise the authority to further screen
and select the personnel of the aforesaid electoral tribunals to be retained
after June 30, 1973: Provided, further, That all the personnel not so retained
shall, if entitled under the laws then in force, receive the retirement and
other benefits accruing thereunder in accordance with the provisions of Section
13, Article XVII of the Constitution.
This Decree takes effect on May 1, 1973.
Done in the City of Manila, this 5th day of June, in the year of Our Lord,
nineteen hundred and seventy-three.
(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.) ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary