[ PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 203, June 05, 1973 ]

TRANSFERRING CERTAIN ITEMS, PERSONNEL, RECORDS, FUNDS, APPROPRIATIONS, EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES AND OTHER PROPERTIES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL, SENATE AND HOUSE ELECTORAL TRIBUNALS TO THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS.

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