Powers of the Commission on Elections.
Section 17
SEC. 17. Powers of the Commission on Elections. — The Commission on Election shall, in addition to the powers and functions conferred upon it by the Constitution and the Revised Election Code, as amended, have the following powers: To promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act within thirty days after its approval: To require all law-enforcement agencies and instrumentalities of the government and authorize ROTC Cadets to act as deputies for the purpose of insuring a free, orderly and honest election; To execute it s decisions, directives, orders and instructions on any matter affecting the conduct of the election of delegates to the Constitutional Convention; and, in the implementation thereof, the same decisions, directives, orders and instructions shall have precedence over those emanating from any other authority except the Supreme Court, and those issued in habeas corpus proceedings: By unanimous vote of the members, postpone the election in any political division or subdivision when it shall find, after due notice to all candidates concerned and proper hearing, that the holding of a free, orderly and honest election therein is rendered impossible by reason or reasons of fraud, violence, coercion, terrorism, or any other serious cause or causes. The Commission shall immediately call for the holding of a special election in said political division or subdivision when in its judgment the conditions therein warrant the holding of the same. Whenever the Commission determines, after notice and hearing, that no voting has been held or that voting has been suspended before the hour fixed by law for the closing of the voting in any precinct or precincts because of force majeure, violence or terrorism, and the votes not cast therein are sufficient to affect the results of the election, the Commission may call for the holding or continuation of the election in the precinct or precincts concerned. Pending such call, no candidate whose election may be affected by the holding or continuation of the election, shall be proclaimed elected. The Chairman and members of the Commission on Elections, being in charge of enforcing this law and exercising quasi- judicial functions, aside from being subject to the prohibitions provided under the last paragraph of Section 8 (A) of this Act, shall also be subject to the Canons of Judicial Ethics. No member of the Commission on Elections, including the Chairman, shall sit in any case arising under this Act in which he has manifested or harbored bias, prejudice, or antagonism against any party to the case, or in any case in which he would be disqualified under Rule 137 of the Rules of Court.