Section 18Sec./Art. 18

Section 30 of Commonwealth Act No. 146, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 30. (a) The Commission may issue subpoenas and subpoenasduces tecum,for witnesses in any matter or inquiry pending before the Commission and require the production of all books, papers, tariffs, contracts, agreements, and all other documents, which the Commission may deem necessary in any proceeding. Such process shall be issued under the seal of the Commission, signed by one of the Hearing Office, and may be served by any person of full age, or by registered mail. Disobedience to or failure to comply with such subpoena, shall constitute indirect contempt, and may be instituted in the manner as provided in the Rules of Court before the appropriate court.

"(b) Any person who shall neglect or refuse to answer any lawful inquiry or produce before the Commission, books, papers, tariffs, contracts, agreements, and documents or other things called for by said Commission, if in his power to do so, in obedience to the subpoena or lawful inquiry of the Commission upon conviction thereof by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) or by imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both, at the discretion of the court.

"(c) The officials and Hearing Officers of the Commission shall have the power to administer oaths in all matters under the jurisdiction of the Commission.

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"(e) Witnesses appearing before the Commission in obedience to subpoena or subpoenaduces tecumshall be entitled to receive the same fees and mileage as witness attending regional trial courts in civil cases.

"(f) Any person who shall obstruct the Commission or either of the Hearing Officers while engaged in the discharge of official duties, or who shall conduct himself in a rude, disrespectful or disorderly manner before the Commission or either of the Hearing Officers, while engaged in the discharge of official duties, or shall orally or in writing be disrespectful to, offend or insult either of the Hearing Officers on occasion or by reason of the performance of his official duties, upon conviction thereof by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be punished for each offense by a fine not exceeding Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00), or by imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both, at the discretion of the Court."