[ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 103, November 09, 1947 ]

ADOPTING MEASURES TO INSURE PEACE AND ORDER AND FREE ELECTIONS IN THE PROVINCE AND CITY OF CAVITE.



WHEREAS, the present conditions of public peace and order in the province and City of Cavite, brought about by the forthcoming elections, have made it necessary to adopt certain measures to insure peace and order and free expression of popular will in said City and province.

NOW, THEREFORE I, Manuel Roxas, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, hereby order that:

(1) The Municipal Mayor of Maragondon, who is a candidate for election for the same position, and directly involved in the recent incidents in the municipality of Maragondon, is hereby ordered temporarily relieved and directed to turn over his office immediately to the vice-mayor.

(2) The municipal police forces of the municipalities of Maragondon and Bailen are hereby placed, pursuant to the provisions of section 836 of the Revised Administrative Code, under the Military Police Command, which is hereby instructed that on election day, November 11, 1947, the police forces of the municipalities herein mentioned shall act only under the order of the officer in charge of the Military Police Command. The officer in charge of the Military Police Command is hereby directed to place in every precinct in the municipalities of Maragondon and Bailen at least two MPC soldiers for the purpose of maintaining order in the precincts and to insure a clean election in said municipalities.

(3)  The Military Police Command of the Province of Cavite is hereby ordered to enforce strictly the confiscation of all arms carried by any person, except by authorized public officials. This order applies to all special agents appointed by the Military Police Command itself, as well as those appointed by the Provincial Governor, the City Mayor and by the municipal mayors of the different towns of Cavite.

(4) The Military Police Command is hereby ordered to reinforce its unit in Cavite, and the zone Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Florencio Selga, is hereby instructed to assume command of the force. The Provost Marshal, Major Jose P. Rueda shall act under the command of Colonel Selga.

(5) All appointments of special policemen issued in the City of Cavite and other municipalities in the Province of Cavite are hereby ordered cancelled for the reason that under the law, no special policeman may be appointed without the approval of the President. The Military Police Command is hereby ordered to withdraw all arms previously issued to such special policemen.

(6) The Provincial Governor of Cavite is also hereby directed that no additional policemen may be appointed without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. All municipalities needing more agents of the law to guard the different precincts are to be supplied with members of the Military Police Command upon request of the respective mayors.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done at the City of Manila, this 9th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty-seven, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the second.

(Sgd.) MANUEL ROXAS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) N. ROXAS
Acting Chief of the Executive Office