05/02/2020 R.A. 6766 Section 8. The Cordillera Assembly shall elect its Speaker, who shall be its presiding officer, by a majority vote of all its Members. It shall choose such other officers as the rules of the Assembly may require. Section 9. The Cordillera Assembly shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of April for its regular session, unless a different date is fixed by national law, and shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may determine until thirty (30) days before the opening of its next regular session, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. However, it may be called to a special session at any time by the Cordillera Governor. Section 10. (A) A majority of all the Members of the Cordillera Assembly shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and may compel the attendance of absent Members in such manner, and under such penalties as the Cordillera Assembly may provide. (B) The Cordillera Assembly may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of all its Members, suspend or expel a Member: Provided, That the period of suspension shall not exceed sixty (60) days. (C) The Cordillera Assembly shall keep a Journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, and the yeas and nays on any question shall, at the request of one-fifth (1/5) of the Members present, be entered in the Journal. lawphil.net Section 11. (A) Unless otherwise provided by Congress, each Member of the Cordillera Assembly shall receive an annual salary of One hundred twenty thousand pesos (P120,000.00), except the Speaker who shall receive a salary of One hundred forty-four thousand pesos (P144,000.00) per annum. They shall not receive during their tenure any other emolument from the Government. (B) The records and books of accounts of the Cordillera Assembly shall be open to the public in accordance with law. Such books shall be audited by the Commission on Audit which shall publish annually the itemized expenditures of each Member. Section 12. No Member shall be questioned or be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Cordillera Assembly or in any committee thereof. Section 13. No Member of the Cordillera Assembly shall hold any other office or employment in the Government or any of its subdivision, agency or instrumentality, including government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries, during his tenure. Section 14. No Member of the Cordillera Assembly shall personally appear as counsel before courts of justice or quasi-judicial and other administrative bodies. Neither shall he, directly or indirectly, be interested financially in any contract with, or in any other franchise or special privilege granted by the Government or any subdivision, agency or instrumentality, including any government-owned or controlled corporation or its subsidiary, during his tenure. He shall not intervene in any matter before any office of the Cordillera Autonomous Region for his pecuniary benefit or where he may be called upon to act on account of his office. Section 15. All Members of the Cordillera Assembly shall, upon their assumption of office, make a full disclosure of their financial and business interests, including those of their spouses and unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households. They shall notify the Assembly of any potential conflict of interest that may arise from the filing of measures of which they are authors. Any Member found guilty of non-disclosure as required under this section may be expelled by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the Members of the Cordillera Assembly, without prejudice to his other liabilities under pertinent legislation. Section 16. (A) There shall be created a Regional Commission on Appointments to be composed of the Speaker as Chairman, and six (6) Members coming from different provinces and cities in the Autonomous Region, who shall be elected from among the Members of the Cordillera Assembly. (B) The Chairman of the Commission shall not vote, except in case of a tie. The Commission shall act on all appointments submitted to it within thirty (30) session days of the Cordillera Assembly from their submission. The Commission shall decide by a majority vote of all the Members thereof. (C) All original and promotional appointments to positions created by the Cordillera Assembly with the rank of Cabinet members and their assistants, regional directors, heads of agencies, or commissions shall be subject to review and confirmation by the Regional Commission on Appointments. (D) The Regional Commission on Appointments shall be constituted within thirty (30) days after the election of the Speaker of the Cordillera Assembly. The Regional Commission on Appointments shall meet only while the Cordillera Assembly is in session, at the call of its Chairman or a majority of all its Members, to discharge its powers and functions. Section 17. (A) There shall be a people's hour at least once a month or as often as the rules of the Cordillera Assembly may provide, which shall be included in the Order of Business, during which any member of the Cabinet may, upon his own initiative, with the consent of the Cordillera Governor, or upon the request of the Cordillera Assembly, appear and answer questions and interpellations by Members of the Assembly on any matter pertaining to his department. (B) The Cordillera Assembly or any of its committees may conduct inquiries in aid of legislation in accordance with its duly published rules of procedure. The rights of persons appearing in or affected by such inquiries shall be respected. Section 18. (A) The Cordillera Governor shall submit to the Cordillera Assembly not later than two (2) months before the beginning of every regular session, to serve as the basis of the regional appropriations bill, a budget of expenditures and sources of financing, including receipts from existing and proposed revenue measures. The fiscal year of the Cordillera Autonomous Region shall cover the period April 1 to March 31 of the succeeding year. (B) The Cordillera Assembly may not increase the appropriations recommended by the Cordillera Governor for the operation of the Regional Government as specified in the budget. The form, content and manner of preparation of the budget shall be prescribed by regional law: Provided, however, That pending the enactment of such a regional law, the budgeting process of the Regional Government shall be governed by existing national laws and rules and regulations prescribed by the Department of Budget and Management. (C) No provision or enactment shall be embraced in the regional appropriations bill unless it relates specifically to some particular appropriation therein. Any such provision or enactment shall be limited in its operation to the appropriation to which it relates. (D) The procedure in approving appropriations for the Cordillera Assembly shall strictly follow the procedure for approving appropriations for other departments and agencies of the Regional Government. (E) A special regional appropriation bill shall specify the purpose for which it is intended, and shall be supported by funds actually available as certified by the Regional Treasurer, or to be raised by a corresponding revenue proposal therein. https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1989/ra_6766_1989.html 4/14