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[ Act No. 3627, December 05, 1929 ]
AN ACT AMENDING SECTIONS ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THREE, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FOUR, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX, AND ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE OF THE REVISED ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, AS AMENDED, SECTION THREE OF ACT NUMBERED TWENTY-NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY-ONE, AS AMENDED AND SECTION THREE OF ACT NUMBERED THIRTY-ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN, AS AMENDED; CREATING THE TWENTY-NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT; CREATING NEW BRANCHES OF THE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE IN SEVERAL JUDICIAL DISTRICTS; CHANGING THE DATES OF THE TERMS OF COURT IN CERTAIN PLACES; READJUSTING THE SALARIES OF THE JUDGES OF FIRST INSTANCE, THE CLERKS AND DEPUTY CLERKS OF COURTS OF FIRST INSTANCE; PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL SUBORDINATE PERSONNEL FOR SAID COURTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
SECTION 1. Section one hundred and fifty-three of the Revised Administrative Code, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 153. Judicial districts.—Judicial districts for Courts of First Instance in the Philippine Islands are constituted as follows:
"The First Judicial District shall consist of the Province of Cagayan and the Province of Batanes.
"The Second Judicial District, of the Province of Isabela and the Province of Nueva Vizcaya.
"The Third Judicial District, of the Province of Iloeos Sur, the Province of Abra, and the Province of Ilocos Norte.
"The Fourth Judicial District, of the Province of La Union and the Mountain Province.
"The Fifth Judicial District, of the Province of Pangasinan.
"The Sixth Judicial District, of the Province of Tarlac and the Province of Nueva Ecija.
"The Seventh" Judicial District, of the Province of Pampanga and the Province of Bulacan.
"The Eighth Judicial District, of the Province of Bataan and the Province of Zambales.
"The Ninth Judicial District, of the City of Manila.
"The Tenth Judicial District, of the Province of Cavite.
"The Eleventh Judicial District, of the Province of Rizal.
"The Twelfth Judicial District, of the Province of Laguna.
"The Thirteenth Judicial District, of the Province of Batangas and the Province of Mindoro.
"The Fourteenth Judicial District, of the Province of Tayabas and the Province of Marinduque.
"The Fifteenth Judicial District, of the Province of Gamarines Sur, the Province of Camarines Norte, and the Province of Albay, including the Subprovince of Catanduanes.
"The Sixteenth Judicial District, of the Province of Sorsogon and the Province of Masbate.
"The Seventeenth Judicial District, of the Province of Capiz and the Province of Romblon.
"The Eighteenth Judicial District, of the Province of Samar.
"The Nineteenth Judicial District, of the Province of Leyte.
"The Twentieth Judicial District, of the Province of Cebu.
"The Twenty-first Judicial District, of the Province of Oriental Negros, the Province of Lanao, and the Subprovince of Siquijor.
"The Twenty-second Judicial District, of the Province of Occidental Negros.
"The Twenty-third Judicial District, of the Province of Iloilo.
"The Twenty-fourth Judicial District, of the Province of Surigao and the Province of Agusan.
"The Twenty-fifth Judicial District, of the Province Oriental Misamis and the Province of Bukidnon.
"The Twenty-sixth Judicial District, of the Province Zamboanga and the Province of Sulu.
"The Twenty-seventh Judicial District, of the Davao and the Province of Cotabato.
"The Twenty-eighth Judicial District, of the Province of Bohol and the Province of Occidental Misamis.
"The Twenty-ninth Judicial District, of the Province of Antique and the Province of Palawan."
SEC. 2. Section one hundred and fifty-four of the Revised Administrative Code, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 154. Judges of first instance for judicial districts.—One judge of first instance shall be commissioned for each judicial district, except the third, fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth, eleventh, fourteenth, fifteenth, nineteenth, twentieth, twenty-second, and twenty-third.
"For the Third Judicial District there shall be two judges, one of whom shall preside over the Court of First Instance of the Province of Ilocos Norte and the other over those of the Provinces of Ilocos Sur and Abra.
"For the Fifth Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as judges of the first and second branch, respectively.
"For the Sixth Judicial District there shall be three judges, two of whom shall preside over the Court of First Instance of the Province of Nueva Ecija and who shall be known as judges of the first and second branch, respectively, and the other over that of the Province of Tarlac.
"For the Seventh Judicial District there shall be two judges, one of whom shall preside over the Court of First Instance of the Province of Pampanga and the other over that of the Province of Bulacan.
"For the Ninth Judicial District there shall be seven judges who shall be known as judges of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh branch, respectively.
"For the Eleventh Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as judges of the first and second branch, respectively.
"For the Fourteenth Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as judges of the first and second branch, respectively.
"For the Fifteenth Judicial District there shall be two judges, one of whom shall preside over the courts of first instance of the Provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, and the other over those of the Province of Albay and the Subprovince of Catanduanes.
"For the Nineteenth Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as judges of said district.
"For the Twentieth Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as judges of the first and second branch, respectively.
"For the Twenty-second Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as judges of the first and second branch, respectively.
"For the Twenty-third Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as judges of the first and second branch, respectively.
"For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section, a new judge shall be appointed for the Third Judicial District, to preside over the Courts of First Instance of Ilocos Sur and Abra; another judge shall be appointed for the Fifth Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the second branch of said court; another judge shall be appointed for the Sixth Judicial District, to preside over the Court of First Instance of Nueva Ecija; another judge shall be appointed for the Sixth Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the second branch of the Court of First Instance of Nueva Ecija; another judge shall be appointed for the Seventh Judicial District, to preside over the Court of First Instance of the Province of Pampanga; two other judges shall be appointed for the Ninth Judicial District and shall be known as judges of the fifth and sixth branch, respectively; another judge shall be appointed for the Ninth Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the seventh branch of said court; another judge shall be appointed for the Eleventh Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the second branch of said court; another judge shall be appointed for the Fourteenth Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the second branch of said court; another judge shall be appointed for the Fifteenth Judicial District, to preside over the Court of First Instance of the Province of Albay and the Subprovince of Catanduanes; another judge shall be appointed for the Nineteenth Judicial District to preside over the Court of First Instance at Maasin, Leyte; another judge shall be appointed for the Twentieth Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the second branch of said court; another judge shall be appointed for the Twenty-second Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the second branch of said court; another judge shall be appointed for the Twenty-third Judicial District and shall be known as judge of the second branch of said court; and another judge shall be appointed for the Twenty-ninth Judicial District. In provinces with more than one branch, the business of the court shall be distributed equitably among the judges of first instance of such branches, as said judges may agree between themselves. In case of disagreement, the Secretary of Justice shall decide, and said Secretary shall be empowered to promulgate rules for the purpose of preventing conflicts between the several branches."
SEC. 3. Section one hundred and fifty-six of the Revised Administrative Code, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 156. Permanent stations of judges of first instance.—The permanent station of judges of the Ninth Judicial District shall be in the City of Manila. In districts comprising only one province, the permanent official station of the judge shall be at the capital of the province.
"In other judicial districts, the permanent stations' of the judges shall be as follows:
"For the First District, in the municipality of Tuguegarao, Province of Cagayan.
"For the Second District, in the municipality of Ilagan, Province of Isabela.
"For the Third District, one judge shall be stationed in the municipality of Vigan, Province of Ilocos Sur, and the other in the municipality of Laoag, Province of Ilocos, Norte.
"For the Fourth District, in the municipality of San Fernando, Province of La Union, Province of Cagayan, on the first Tuesday of June and January of each year; at Santo Domingo de Basco, Province of Batanes, on the first Tuesday of March of each year.
"Second District: At Ilagan, Province of Isabela, on the first Tuesday of February and July of each year; at Bayombong, Province of Nueva Vizcaya, on the second Tuesday of January and June of each year.
"Third District: At Bangued, Province of Abra, on the first Tuesday of March and October of each year; at Vigan, Province of Uocos Sur, on the first Tuesday of June and December of each year; at Cervantes, Province of Ilocos Sur, on the first Tuesday of February and November of each year.
"Fourth District: At San Fernando, Province of La Union, on the first Tuesday of January and September of each year; at Baguio, Mountain Province, on the first Tuesday of June and December of each year; at Kiangan, Mountain Province, on the first Tuesday of March and November of each year; at Bontoc, Mountain Province, on the second Tuesday of March and November of each year. Whenever the interests of the administration of justice so require, special terms of court may be held at Lubuagan, subprovince of Kalinga, and at Cabugao, Subprovince of Apayao.
"Eighth District: At Balanga, Province of Bataan, on the first Tuesday of January and June of each year; at Iba, Province of Zambales, on the first Tuesday of March and November of each year.
"Thirteenth District: At Batangas, Province of Batangas, on the first Tuesday of January, June, and November of each year; at Calapan, Province of Mindoro, on the first Tuesday of February and the fourth Tuesday of September of each year; at San Jose, Province of Mindoro, on the second Tuesday of March of each year; and at Lubang, Lubang Island, Province of Mindoro, on the fourth Tuesday of March of each year, or whenever the judge, with the authorization of the Secretary of Justice, so appoints.
"Fourteenth District: At Lucena, Province of Tayabas, on the first Tuesday of January and July of each year; at Infanta, Province of Tayabas, for the municipalities of Infanta, Casiguran, Baler, and Polillo, on the first Tuesday of June of each year; at Boac, Province of Marinduque, on the first Tuesday of March of each year.
"Fifteenth District: At Naga, Province of Camarines Sur, on the first Tuesday of January, June, and November of each year; at Daet, Province of Camarines Norte, on the first Tuesday of March and August of each year; at Legaspi, Province of Albay, on the first Tuesday of January, June and November of each year; at Virac, subprovince of Catanduanes, on the first Tuesday of March and September of each year.
"Sixteenth District: At Sorsogon, Province of Sorsogon, on the first Tuesday of January, June, and November of each year; at Masbate, Province of Masbate, on the second Tuesday of March and September of each year.
"Seventeenth District: At Capiz, Province of Capiz, on the first Tuesday of January and July of each year; at Ibajay, same province, on the first Tuesday of June of each year; at Calivo, same province, on the first Tuesday of December of each year; at Romblon, Province of Romblon, on the first Tuesday of March and November of each year.
"Eighteenth District: At Catbalogan, Province of Samar, on the first Tuesday of January and June of each year; at Borongan, same province, on the second Tuesday of July of each year; at Catarman, same province, on the first Tuesday of March of each year; at Guiuan, same province, on the second Tuesday of August of each year; and at Calbayog, same province, on the second Tuesday of September of each year.
"Nineteenth District: At Tacloban, Province of Leyte, on the first Tuesday of January and June of each year; at Maasin, same province, on the first Tuesday of March and September of each year; and at Ormoc, same province, on the first Tuesday of December of each year.
"Twentyfirst District: At Dumaguete, Province of Oriental Negros, on the first Tuesday of January, June and October of each year; at Larena, subprovince of Siquijor, on the first Tuesday of March of each year; at Iligan, Province of Lanao, on the first Tuesday of September of each year; but the September term for the Province of Lanao may be held at Dansalan, Province of Lanao, in the discretion of the court.
"Twenty-fourth District: At Surigao, Province of Surigao, on the first Tuesday of January and June of each year; at Butuan, Province of Agusan, on the first Tuesday of March and November of each year. A special term of court shall also be held once a year either in the municipality of Tandag, or in the municipality of Hinatuan, Province of Surigao, in the discretion of the court.
"Twenty-fifth District: At Mambajao, Province of Oriental Misamis, on the first Tuesday of February and on the second Tuesday of September of each year; at Cagayan, same province, on the first Tuesday of June and November of each year; at Malaybalay, Province of Bukidnon, on the first Tuesday of December of each year.
"Twenty-sixth District: At Dipolog, Province of Zamboanga, on the first Tuesday of January and June of each year; at Jolo, Province of Sulu, on the first Tuesday of March and November of each year; at Zamboanga, Province of Zamboanga, on the first Tuesday of February and August of each year. The office of the clerk of Court of First Instance of Dapitan, Province of Zamboanga, is hereby transferred to Dipolog, same province.
"Twenty-seventh District: At Davao, Province of Davao, d on the first Tuesday of June and December of each year; at Cotabato, Province of Cotabato, on the first Tuesday of February and September of each year; at Glan, Province of Cotabato, and at Baganga and Mati, Province of Davao, terms of court shall be held at least once a year on the dates to be fixed by the court.
"Twenty-eighth District: In the capital of the Province of Occidental Misamis, on the first Tuesday of February and September of each year; and at Tagbilaran, Province of Bohol, on the first Tuesday of June and the first Tuesday of November of each year.
"Twenty-ninth District: At San Jose, Province of Antique, on the first Tuesday of January and August of each year; at Culasi, same province, on the second Tuesday of February and December of each year; at Coron, Province of Palawan, on the first Monday of June and October of each year; at Bacuit, Province of Palawan, on the first Saturday of June and October of each year; at Cuyo, same province, on the second Thursday of June and October of each year; at Araceli, same province, on the third Tuesday of June and October of each year; at Brooks Point, same province, on the third Saturday of June and October of each year; and at Puerto Princesa, same province, on the fourth Tuesday of June and October of each year: Provided, That if the circumstances so warrant the dates of the terms of court fixed in the above schedule for any of the said places in the Province of Palawan may be changed in the discretion of the court.
SEC. 5. Section three of Act Numbered Twenty-nine hundred and forty-one, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 3. Salaries of the Judges of First Instance.—The Judges of First Instance of the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, and Twenty-sixth Judicial Districts shall receive an annual salary of ten thousand pesos each; those of the First, Third, Fourth, Eighteenth, Twenty-first, and Twenty-eighth, shall receive an annual salary of nine thousand pesos each; and those of the other judicial districts and the auxiliary judges of First Instance, shall receive an annual salary of eight thousand pesos each. The Clerk of the Supreme Court shall receive an annual salary of six thousand pesos.
SEC. 6. Section three of Act Numbered Thirty-one hundred and seven is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 3. Salaries of the clerics and deputy clerks of the Courts of First Instance.—The clerks of the Courts of First Instance shall receive annual salaries in accordance with the following schedule:
"For the clerk of the Court of First Instance of the Ninth Judicial District (Manila), five thousand pesos; for the clerks of the Courts of First Instance of Cebu, Iloilo, Pangasinan, and Tayabas. three thousand five hundred pesos each; for the clerks of the Courts of First Instance of Albay, Batangas, Bulacan, Capiz. Laguna, Leyte, Nueva Ecija, Occidental Negros, Pampanga, Rizal, and Samar, three thousand two hundred pesos each; for the clerks of the Courts of First Instance of Bohol. Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Oriental Misamis, Oriental Negros, Tarlac, and Zamboanga, two thousand four hundred pesos each; for the clerks of the Courts of First Instance of Cavite, La Union, Occidental Misamis, and Sorsogon, two thousand pesos each; for the clerks of the Courts of First Instance of Antique, Davao, Isabela, and Surigao, one thousand eight hundred pesos each; for the clerk of the Court of First Instance at Maasin, Leyte, one thousand eight hundred pesos; for the clerks of the Courts of First Instance of Abra, Bataan, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Mindoro, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Romblon, Sulu, and Zambales, one thousand five hundred pesos each; for the clerk of the Court of First Instance at Benguet, Mountain Province, one thousand five hundred pesos; for the clerks of the Courts of First Instance of Palawan, Bukidnon, Cotabato, and Lanao, one thousand two hundred pesos each; and for the clerk of the Court of First Instance of Agusan, six hundred pesos.
"The assistant and deputy clerks of Courts of First Instance shall receive annual salaries in accordance with the following schedule:
"In the City of Manila (Ninth Judicial District), for the assistant clerk of court and ex-officio chief of the probate division, four thousand pesos, and for the deputy clerks of court, one thousand eight hundred pesos each; for the deputy clerks of court in the Provinces of Cebu, Iloilo, Pangasinan, and Tayabas, one thousand eight hundred pesos each; for the deputy clerks of court in the Provinces of Albay, Batangas, Bulacan, Capiz, Laguna, Leyte, Nueva Ecija, Occidental Negros, Pampanga, Rizal, Samar, and the deputy clerk of court in the Province of Marinduque, one thousand five hundred pesos each; for the deputy clerks of court in the Provinces of Bohol, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Oriental Misamis, Oriental Negros, Tarlac, and Zamboanga, one thousand two hundred pesos each; for the deputy clerks of court in the Provinces of Cavite, La Union, Occidental Misamis and Sorsogon, nine hundred pesos each; for the deputy clerks of court in the Provinces of Antique, Davao, Isabela, and Surigao, and the deputy clerk of Court of First Instance at Maasin, Province of Leyte, seven hundred twenty pesos each; for the deputy clerks of court in the Provinces of Abra, Bataan, Bukidnon, Camarines Norte, Cotabato, Lanao, Masbate, Mindoro, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Romblon, Sulu, and Zambales, the deputy clerk of the Court of First Instance at Cuyo, Province of Palawan, the deputy clerk of the Court of First Instance at Dipolog, Province of Zamboanga, and the deputy clerk of the Court of First Instance at Benguet, Mountain Province, six hundred pesos each; and for the deputy clerk of Court of the First Instance in the Province of Batanes, six hundred pesos."
SEC. 7. There shall be in the Court of First Instance of Nueva Ecija, one assistant stenographer with a salary of two thousand four hundred pesos per annum, one deputy clerk of court with a salary of one thousand two hundred pesos per annum, and one interpreter with a salary of one thousand two hundred pesos per annum; in the Court of First Instance of Manila, one stenographer with a salary of three thousand two hundred pesos per annum, one junior stenographer with a salary of two thousand four hundred pesos per annum, one interpreter with a salary of two thousand four hundred pesos per annum, and one deputy clerk of court with a salary of one thousand eight hundred pesos per annum; in the Court of First Instance of Rizal, one assistant stenographer with a salary of two thousand four hundred pesos per annum, one deputy clerk of court with a salary of one thousand five hundred pesos per annum, and one interpreter with a salary of one thousand two hundred pesos per annum; in the Court of First Instance of Leyte (Maasin), one assistant stenographer with a salary of two thousand four hundred pesos per annum; one deputy clerk of court with a salary of one thousand pesos per annum, and one interpreter with a salary of one thousand two hundred pesos per annum; in the Court of First Instance of Occidental Negros, one assistant stenographer with a salary of two thousand four hundred pesos per annum, and one interpreter with a salary of one thousand two hundred pesos per annum; in the Court of First Instance of Occidental Misamis, one docket clerk with a salary of seven hundred and twenty pesos per annum, one clerk with a salary of six hundred pesos per annum, and one clerk with a salary of two hundred and forty pesos per annum; and in the Court of First Instance of the Twenty-ninth Judicial District, one assistant stenographer with a salary of two thousand four hundred pesos per annum, and one interpreter with a salary of one thousand two hundred pesos per annum.
SEC. 8. The positions of district judges created under this Act shall be filled by appointments of judges of first instance already in the service and the vacancies caused by such appointments shall not be filled.
SEC. 9. There are hereby made available, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and thirty.
SEC. 10. This Act shall take effect on January first, nineteen hundred and thirty.
Approved, December 5, 1929.