Section 8
SEC. 8. Section 17 of Republic Act No. 1161 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 17. Fee of Agents, Attorneys, Etc.— No agent, attorney or other person in charge of the preparation, filing or pursuing any claim or benefit uner this Act shall demand or charge for his service any fee, and any stipulation to the contrary shall be null and void. The retention or deduction of any amount from any benefit granted under this Act for the payment of fees for such services is is prohibited: Provided, however, That any member of the Philippine Bar who appears as counsel in any case heard by the Social Security Commission shall be entitled to attorney's fees not exceeding ten percent of the benefits awarded by the commission, which fees shall not be payable before the actual payment of the benefits, and any stipulation to the contrary shall be null and void. "Any violation of the provisions of this Section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than one year, or both, at the discretion of the court."