[ Act No. 3107, March 17, 1923 ]

AN ACT TO AMEND AND REPEAL CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RELATIVE TO THE JUDICIARY IN ORDER TO REORGANIZE THE LATTER; INCREASING THE NUMBER OF JUDGES FOR CERTAIN JUDICIAL DISTRICTS; INCREASING THE SALARIES OF JUDGES OF COURTS OF FIRST INSTANCE; VESTING THE SECRETARY OF JUSTICE WITH AUTHORITY TO DETAIL A DISTRICT JUDGE TEMPORARILY TO A DISTRICT OR PROVINCE OTHER THAN HIS OWN; REGULATING THE SALARIES OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE; ABOLISHING THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT OF THE CITY OF MANILA AND CREATING IN LIEU THEREOF A MUNICIPAL COURT WITH THREE BRANCHES; REGULATING THE SALARIES OF CLERKS OF COURT AND OTHER SUBORDINATE EMPLOYEES OF COURTS OF FIRST INSTANCE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be  it enacted by the Senate and House  of Representatives of the Philippines in Legislature assembled and by the authority of the same:SECTION 1. Sections one hundred and fifty, one hundred and fifty-three, one  hundred  and fifty-four, one  hundred and fifty-five, one hundred  and fifty-six, one hundred and fifty-seven, one hundred  and fifty-eight, one hundred and sixty-one,  one  hundred  and sixty-two,  one  hundred and sixty-three, two hundred  and three, two hundred and seven, two hundred and ten, two  hundred and thirteen, two  hundred and twenty, two hundred and twenty-one, twenty-four hundred and  sixty-six, twenty-four hundred and  seventy-one, twenty-four hundred  and  seventy-four, and twenty-four hundred and seventy-seven of Act Numbered Twenty-seven hundred  and eleven, known as the Administrative Code, are hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC.  150.  Clerks and other subordinate  employees of Courts of First Instance.—Clerks, deputy clerks, assistants, and other subordinate employees of Courts of First Instance shall, for administrative purposes, belong to  the  Bureau of  Justice; but in  the performance  of their  duties  they shall be  subject to the  supervision  of the judges of the courts to which they respectively  pertain."The  Clerk of a Court of First Instance may, by special written  deputization approved by the judge,  authorize any suitable person to act as  his  special deputy and  in  such capacity to  perform such  functions  as  may be  specified in  the authority granted.""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  Ilocos 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 and the Province of Palawan."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 Camarines 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, the Province of  Antique 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, including the subprovince of Siquijor, and the Province of Bohol."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  of Misamis,  the Province of Bukidnon, and the Province  of Lanao."The Twenty-sixth Judicial  District, of the  Province  of Zamboanga  and the Province of Sulu."The Twenty-seventh Judicial District, of the Province of Davao and the Province of  Cotabato.""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, fifteenth, twentieth, and twenty-third."For the Third Judicial District there shall be two judges, one of whom shall preside over the Court of the  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 two judges, one of whom shall preside over the Court of First Instance of the Province of Nueva Ecija 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 six judges who shall be known as  judge of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth 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 Twentieth  Judicial District there shall be two judges who shall be known as  judge 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  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 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  Twentieth Judicial District and  shall be known as  judge of the  second  branch  of said court;  and another judge  shall be appointed for the Twenty-third Judicial District  and shall be known as judge of the second branch of said Court.   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. 155. Detail of judge to another  district or province.—If the public interest and the speedy administration of justice so require, a Judge of First Instance may  be detailed by the Secretary  of Justice to temporary duty, for a period which shall in no case exceed six months in a district or province  other  than  his own  for the purpose of trying all kinds  of cases, excepting criminal  and election cases.""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 llocos Sur, and the other in the municipality of Laoag, Province of llocos Norte."For the Fourth District, in the municipality of San Fernando, Province of La Union."For the Sixth  District, one judge shall be  stationed in the municipality of Cabanatuan, Province  of Nueva Ecija, and  the other  in  the  municipality of Tarlac,  Province of Tarlac."For the Seventh District,  one judge shall be stationed in the municipality of San  Fernando, Province of Pampanga, and  the  other in the municipality  of Malolos,  Province of Bulacan."For the Eighth District, in the municipality of Balanga, Province of Bataan."For the Tenth District, in the municipality of  Cavite, Province of Cavite."For the Thirteenth District, in the municipality of Batangas, Province of Batangas."For the Fourteenth District, in the municipality of Lucena, Province of Tayabas."For the Fifteenth District, one judge shall  be  stationed in the municipality of Albay, Province of Albay, and the other in the  municipality of Naga, Province of Camarines Sur."For the Sixteenth District, in the municipality  of Sorsogon, Province of Sorsogon."For  the  Seventeenth District, in the municipality of Capiz, Province of Capiz."For the  Twenty-first District, in the municipality of Dumaguete,  Province of Oriental Negros."For the Twenty-fourth District, in the municipality of Surigao, Province  of Surigao."For the  Twenty-fifth District, in the municipality of Cagayan, Province of Misamis."For the Twenty-sixth District, in the municipality of Zamboanga, Province of Zamboanga."For the Twenty-Seventh District, in the municipality of Davao, Province of Davao.""SEC.  157. Auxiliary  Judges  of First Instance.—There shall be fifteen Auxiliary Judges of First Instance who shall, at the direction of the Secretary of Justice, assist any District Judge, act as substitute for said Judge in cases of his absence,  illness or incapacity,  and temporarily supply any vacancy that  may  occur among  them.  When  their services are not required elsewhere, Auxiliary  Judges shall hold court at their respective official stations, as hereinafter provided, for the dispatch of any matters there  requiring attention: Provided, however, That the Secretary of Justice may, in his discretion, issue orders to any auxiliary judge respecting the place where he shall serve.""SEC. 158.  Official stations of Auxiliary Judges.—One Auxiliary Judge shall be stationed at Vigan,  Province of Ilocos Sur; one Auxiliary Judge shall be stationed at Lingayen, Province of Pangasinan, and another at Iloilo, Province of Iloilo; one at Cabanatuan, Province of Nueva Ecija; one at San Fernando, Province  of  Pampanga; one in the City of Manila; one at San Pablo, Province of Laguna; one at Lucena, Province of Tayabas; one at Albay, Province of Albay; one at Maasin, Province of Leyte; one  at  Cebu, Province of Cebu;  one at Sorsogon, Province of Sorsogon; one at Tagbilaran, Province of Bohol; one at Bacolod, Province of  Occidental Negros,  arid  one at Jolo,  Province of Sulu."The  Secretary of Justice shall  designate  the  official stations of the present Auxiliary Judges in conformity with the provisions of this  Act.""SEC. 161.  Places and times of  holding  court.—For the Ninth Judicial District, court should be held in the City of Manila; and  in  other districts which  comprise not more than one province, as  well as in  those districts  which comprise  more than one  province and for which, under the provisions of this Act, two  judges  are commissioned, court shall be held at  the capital  of the province in which said judges are permanently stationed, except as  hereinafter provided.  In said districts, sessions of court shall be convened on all work-days when there are cases ready for trial or other court business to be dispatched: Provided,  That in the municipality  of  Tayug,  Province  of  Pangasinan, special terms of  court shall  be held at  least twice each year."In the following  districts, court shall be held  at the places and times hereinbelow specified:"First District: At Aparri, Province of Cagayan, on the first Tuesday of Februai y and July of each year; at Santo Domingo cle Basco, Province of Batanes, on the first Tuesday of  April of each year;  at Tuguegarao,  Province of Cagayan, on  the first Tuesday of  January and September of each year."Second District: At Ilagan, Province  of Isabela, on the first Tuesday of March and August of each year; at Bayombong, Province of Nueva Vizcaya, on  the first Tuesday of July and December of each year.'Third District: At Laoag, Province of Ilocos Norte, on  the first Tuesday  of February, July,  and November of each year; at Bangued, Province of Abra, on the first Tuesday of March of each  year;  at Vigan, Province of Ilocos Sur, on the first Tuesday of October and December  of each year; at Candon, on the first Tuesday of July of each year; at  Cervantes and  Tagudin,  Province of Ilocos Sur, on the third Tuesday of April and November and the fourth  Tuesday of April and November of each year respectively."Fourth District:  At San Fernando,  Province  of  La Union,  on the first Tuesday of February and September of  each year; at Baguio, Mountain Province,  on the first Tuesday of April 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 interest of the administration of justice  so require, special terms of court  may be held at  Lubuacan, subprovince  of Kalinga, and at Cabugao, subproyince  of Apayao."Eighth District: At Iba, Province  of Zambales, on the" first Tuesday of April and November of each year; at Balanga,  Province of  Bataan,  on  the  first Tuesday of  January, July, and October of each year."Tenth District:  At Cavite, Province of  Cavite, on the first Tuesday of January, July, and November of  each year; at Coron, Province of Palawan, on the first Tuesday  of April of  each year; at Oton, Province of Palawan, on the first Saturday of April of  each year; at Cuyo, Province of Palawan, on the second Tuesday of April of each year; at Araceli, Province of Palawan, on the second Saturday of April of  each year; at Puerto Princesa, Province of Palawan, on the third Tuesday  of April of each year; at Brooks Point, Province of Palawan,  on the third Saturday of April of each year."Thirteenth District: At  Batangas, Province of Batangas. on the first Tuesday of February and August of each year; at Calapan, Province of Mindoro, on the first Tuesday of March and September of each year; at the toionship of Lubang, Lubang Island, in the Province of Mindoro, on the third Tuesday of April of each year, or whenever the judge 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 April  of  each year; at Boac, Province of Marinduque, on the  first Tuesday of November of each year."Fifteenth District: At  Naga, Province  of  Camarines Sur, on the  first Tuesday of January,  July, and November of each year;  at Daet, Province of Camarines Norte,  on the first  Tuesday of March and August of  each  year; at Tigaon, Province of Camarines Sur, on the  third Tuesday of September of each year; at  Albay, Province of Albay, on  the first Tuesday of January, July, and November of each year; at Virac,  subprovince of Catanduanes, on the first Tuesday of April of  each year."Sixteenth District: At Sorsogon, Province of Sorsogon, on  the first Tuesday of January, July, and November of each year; at Masbate, Province of Masbate, on  the second Tuesday  of  April and September of  each year."Seventeenth District: At Capiz, Province of Capiz,  on the first  Tuesday of January and August of each year; at Makato or Calivo, same province, on  the first Tuesday of July of each year;  at San  Jose, Province of Antique,  on the first  Tuesday of April and November of each year; at Romblon, Province  of Romblon, on the first Tuesday of March and  October of each year."Eighteenth District: At Catbalogan, Province of Samar, on  the first  Tuesday of January and September of each year; at Borongan, same province,  on the first Tuesday of July  of each year; at  Catarman, same province,  on the first Tuesday of April of each year."Nineteenth  District:  At  Tacloban,  Province of  Leyte, on the first Tuesday of  January,  July, and November of each year;  at Maasin, same  province, on the first Tuesday of April and October of each year."Twentieth District: At Cebu, Province of Cebu,  on the first Tuesday of January, July, and November of each year; at Barili, same province, on  the  first  Tuesday  of April and  October of each year."Twenty-first  District:  At  Dumaguete,  Province  of Oriental Negros, on the first Tuesday of January and  November  of each year; at Tagbilaran,  Province of Bohol, on the first Tuesday of March, July, and October of each year; at Larena,  subprovince of Siquijor,  on the first Tuesday of April of each year."Twenty-fourth  District:  At Surigao, Province of Surigao, on  the first Tuesday of January,  April, and July of each year; at Butuan,  Province  of  Agusan, on the first Tuesday of March and October of each year.   A  special term of court  shall also be held once a year in  either the municipality of Tandag  or the municipality of  Hinatuan, Province of Surigao, in the discretion of the court."Twenty-fifth District: At Cagayan,  Province of Misamis, on the first Tuesday of January and July of each year; at Malaybalay,  Province of Bukidnon, on the first Tuesday of September of each year; at Iligan,  Province of Lanao, on the first Tuesday of March  of each year;  but  the  March term may  be  held at  Dansalan,  in  the discretion  of the court.   A special term of court shall also  be held  once a year in  the municipality of  Mambajao, Province of Misamis; also a special term of court once a year in the  municipality of Talisayan, and a special  term of court  once a year on the west coast of the Province  of Misamis, in the municipality of Misamis, or the municipality of Jimenez, or the municipality of Oroquieta,  in the discretion of the court."Twenty-sixth District: At Dapitan, Province of Zamboanga, on the first Tuesday of January and July of each year; at Jolo, Province of Sulu, on the first Tuesday of April and November of  each year; at  Zamboanga,  Province of Zamboanga, on the first  Tuesday of  February and August of each  year."Twenty-seventh District: At Davao, Province of  Davao, on  the  first Tuesday  of  January  and  July of  each year; at Cotabato, Province of Cotabato, on the first Tuesday of March and September of each year; at Glan, Province of Cotabato, and at Baganga and  Mati,  Province  of  Davao, sessions of court shall be convened at least once a year on the dates to be fixed by the court."Notwithstanding the  provisions of  this section, whenever weather conditions, the condition of the roads or means of transportation,  the number of cases or the interests of the administration of justice require it, a judge  may, with the approval of the Secretary of Justice, advance or postpone the term of court or transfer the place of holding the same to another municipality within the same judicial district, and, in land registration cases,  to  any other place more convenient to the parties.""SEC. 162. Duty of Judges to hold court at permanent station.—Any judge shall hold court at the place of his permanent station, not only during  the period  herein  above appointed, but also at any other time when there are cases ready  for  trial  or other court business to be there  dispatched, if he is not engaged elsewhere.""SEC. 163. Special terms  of court.—When so directed by the Department Head, Judges of  First Instance shall hold special terms of court at any time or in any municipality in their respective districts  for the transaction of any judicial business.""SEC. 203. Appointment  and distribution of justices of the peace.—One justice of the peace and one auxiliary justice of the peace shall be  appointed by  the Governor-General, with the advice and  consent  of the  Philippine Senate for the city  of Baguio, and for  each municipality,  township, and municipal district in the Philippine Islands, and if the public interest shall so require, for  any other minor political division or unorganized territory in said  Islands: Provided, That justices and auxiliary justices of the peace shall be appointed to serve until they  have  reached the age of sixty-five  years."Upon the recommendation of the  Department Head, the territorial  jurisdiction of any justice and auxiliary justice of the peace may be made  to extend over  any number of municipalities, townships,  municipal  districts,  or  other minor political divisions or  places  not included in the jurisdiction  of  a justice of the peace already  appointed;  and upon like  recommendation  of the Department Head, the Governor-General  may combine the offices of justice of the peace  for  two or more such jurisdictions already established, and may appoint to the combined  jurisdiction  one justice of the peace and one  auxiliary  justice, at a salary not to exceed the total of the salaries  of the combined positions.""SEC. 207. Qualifications  for office of justice of peace.— No person shall be eligible to appointment as justice of the peace or auxiliary justice unless  he shall be  (1)  at least twenty-three years of age;  (2)  a  citizen of the Philippine Islands or of the  United States;  (3) of good moral character;  and (4) admitted by the Supreme Court to  practice law, or be a person who has at least finished the courses of legal study in a recognized school, or shall have passed the  civil  service  examination for  clerk of  court, or  an examination to  be held in  each province before  a  board composed of the judge of the Court  of First  Instance, the provincial  fiscal, and a practicing lawyer appointed by the judge, under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Attorney-General  with the approval of the  Secretary of Justice."The duration of eligibility derived from  examination before a board, as aforesaid,  shall be for a period of four years only, from the date of examination,  or  if meanwhile the examinee has held the office  of justice of the peace, auxiliary justice of the peace, notary public, or procurador judicial, for four years from the  date on  which he ceased to hold such office."The examination requirement  shall not be enforced in case the appointee is an officer of the United States Army or of the Philippine Government,  or when there is no person having the necessary  qualifications who is  willing to accept the  office.   In this last-mentioned case  the appointment shall continue  only  until such  time  as a qualified person  can be found who is willing to accept the office."No  person  shall be appointed  judge of the municipal court of the City of Manila unless he shall  have practised law in the  Philippine Islands  for a period  of four years or shall during a like period have held in the Philippine Islands any office for which a  lawyer's diploma is  an indispensable requisite."In the future no person shall be appointed justice of the peace for any provincial capital who has not practised law in the Philippine Islands for at least  one  year or has not held for a  like period  some office  in the Philippine Islands for which a lawyer's diploma is an indispensable requisite, and no person shall hereafter be  appointed justice of the peace of any  first-class municipality unless he has been admitted to the bar by the  Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands.""SEC.  210. Filling  of vacancy  in  office  of  justice  of peace.—When a vacancy occurs in the office of any justice of the peace,  except  in provincial capitals  and first-class municipalities,  the judge  of  the  Court of  First Instance of the  district shall forward to the Governor-General a list of names of persons qualified to  fill  said  vacancy,  accompanied by all the applications presented by persons desirous of appointment.  The Governor-General,  with the advice and consent of the Philippine Senate, shall make the respective  appointments  from said  list: Provided, however, That  he may  also appoint to the position any qualified person not included in the  list and not an applicant for the place,  without  preferences of any kind,  when he  deems such course to be in the public interest.""SEC.  213. Clerks  of certain  courts.—The  municipal court of the City of Manila and the courts  of the provincial capitals and first-class municipalities shall be allowed such clerks  of court and other  employees as  may be necessary, at the expense of said  city  and municipalities.   The justice of the peace courts of Iloilo, Cebu. and Lingayen shall each be allowed two clerks, at the expense of municipalities of Iloilo, Cebu, and Lingayen."The justices of the peace of the provincial capitals of Palawan and Batanes  shall serve  as clerks of the Court of First Instance  in their provinces, without additional compensation.""SEC. 220. Salaries  of justices of peace.—Except as provided in the next  succeeding  section, justices  of the peace shall receive the following salaries per annum:(a)  In municipalities of the first class, twelve hundred pesos;(b)  In municipalities of the second class, nine hundred and sixty pesos;(c) In  municipalities of  the third class, eight hundred and forty pesos;(2)  In municipalities, of the fourth class and other places not specially provided for by law, seven hundred and twenty pesos.""SEC. 221. Salaries of the judges of the Municipal Court of Manila and of the justices of the peace  in provincial capitals.—The salary of each  of the Judges of the Municipal Court of Manila shall be five thousand pesos per annum."The annual salaries of the justices of  the peace of the capitals of the following provinces shall  be as follows:"Of the justices of the peace of the  capitals of the provinces of Iloilo, Cebu, and Pangasinan, three thousand pesos; of the justices of the peace  of the capitals of the Provinces of Albay, Batangas, Bulacan,  Camarines Sur,  Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Leyte,  Occidental Negros, Pampanga, Rizal, Tayabas, and Zamboanga, twenty-four hundred pesos; of the justices of the peace  of the capitals of the Provinces of Cagayan,  Capiz,  Cavite,  Nueva Ecija, Samar, and  Sorsogon, eighteen hundred pesos; of the justices of the peace of the capitals of the other provinces  organized  under the Provincial Law, and the capitals of  the  Provinces of Agusan,  Bukidnon, Cotabato, Davao, Sulu, Lanao,  Palawan, and Batanes, fifteen hundred pesos.""SEC. 2466. Regular  and acting  judges  of  municipal court.—There shall  be  a municipal  court for the  City of Manila, for which three judges shall be  appointed, to  be known, respectively, as judge  of the first, second and third branch."The Municipal Court shall have the  same jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases and the same incidental powers as at present conferred by  law upon the  Municipal Court and  justice of  the peace court of the  City of Manila, and such additional jurisdiction and powers as may hereafter be conferred upon them by law.  The cases  pertaining to the municipal court  shall be distributed in accordance with rules to be prescribed by the Secretary of Justice."In case of absence, sickness or incapacity  of any of the judges of the Municipal Court and in  case of any vacancy in said  offices, the Secretary of Justice may designate any assistant  attorney of the Attorney General's  office or  Provincial Fiscal to act as judge of the Municipal Court of the City of Manila, with all the powers of a regular judge of said Court; but such acting judge shall not receive any additional compensation during  the time he is acting as judge." "SEC. 2471. Costs, fees, fines, and forfeitures in municipal  court.—-There shall be taxed against and collected from the defendant, in case of his conviction in the  municipal court, such  costs and  fees as may be  prescribed by the Board not exceeding those charged in criminal cases in justices' courts.  All  costs, fees, fines, and  forfeitures shall be collected  by the clerk  of  the  court,  who shall keep a docket  of those imposed and of those collected, and  shall pay collections of  the  same to the city treasurer for the benefit of the city, on the next business  day after the same are collected, and take receipts therefor.   The judge of the first branch shall examine  said docket  each  day, compare the  same with the amount  receipted for by the  city treasurer, and satisfy himself that all such costs, fees, fines, and forfeitures have been duly accounted for.""SEC.  2474. Persons  arrested to  be  promptly  brought before a court.—Preliminary  examinations  in  municipal court and Court of First Instance.—Every person arrested shall, without  unnecessary delay,  be brought  before the municipal court, or the  Court of First Instance for preliminary hearing, release on bail, or trial.   In  cases triable in the municipal court the defendant  shall not be entitled as of right to  a preliminary  examination,  except a summary one to enable the  court to fix the bail,  in any case where the prosecution announces itself  ready and is  ready for trial  within three  days, not including Sundays, after the request for  an examination is presented.  In cases triable only  in  the  Court of First Instance the defendant  shall not be  entitled  as of right  to  a preliminary examination in any case where  the fiscal of  the city, after a  due investigation  of  the facts, shall have presented  an information against  him in  proper  form.  But the  Court of First Instance may make such summary investigation into the case as it may deem necessary  to enable it to fix the bail  or to determine whether the  offense is bailable.""SEC.  2477. Assessors in the  courts in the city.—The aid of assessors in the trial of any civil or criminal action in the municipal court, or  the Court of First Instance, within the city, may be  invoked  in the  manner provided in the Code of Civil Procedure.  It shall be the duty of the Municipal Board to prepare one list  of the names of twenty-five residents of the city best fitted by education, natural ability, and reputation for probity to sit as assessors in the trial of actions in the municipal court and a like list of persons to sit as assessors in the  trial  of  actions in the Court of First Instance.   The Board may at any time strike any name from the list so  prepared,  by reason  of  the death, permanent  disability, or unfitness  of the  person named; and in case names are so stricken out, other names shall be added in their place, to be selected as in this section provided.  Parties  desiring to avail themselves of the use of assessors in the municipal court  shall proceed as provided in sections fifty-eight to sixty-two, inclusive,  of the  Code of Civil Procedure, and the method of summoning assessors and the compensation and oath and duties of assessors shall be as provided in  those sections.  Parties desiring to avail themselves  of the  use  of  assessors in the Court  of  First Instance shall proceed as provided  in sections one  hundred and fifty-four to one hundred  and  sixty-one, inclusive, of the Code of Civil  Procedure; and the method of summonning  assessors,  enforcing their attendance,  excusing  them from attendance,  their compensation,  oath,  and effect of dissent from the opinion of the judge shall  be as provided in the last-named sections."

SEC. 2. Section three of Act Numbered Twenty-nine hundred  and forty-one  is hereby amended to read  as  follows:

"SEC.  3.  Salaries of  the Judges  of First Instance.—The Judges  of First Instance of the fifth, ninth, twentieth, and twenty-third judicial districts shall receive an annual salary of ten  thousand  pesos each;  those  of the third,  sixth, seventh,  eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, nineteenth, twenty-second, and twenty-sixth, of nine thou- sand pesos each, and those of the other judicial districts and the Auxiliary Judges of First Instance, of eight thousand pesos  each.   The Clerk of  the  Supreme Court, six thousand pesos."

SEC. 3. Salaries  of the  clerks 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 the Ninth Judicial District (Manila), five thousand pesos; for the clerk of the Court of First  Instance of Cebu, thirty-five hundred pesos; for the clerks of courts in other first-class provinces, thirty- two  hundred pesos; Provided,  however, That the salary paid to the clerk of the Court of First Instance  at Tacloban, Province of Leyte, shall be twenty-four hundred pesos, and the salary of the clerk of the court at Maasin, in the same province, shall be fifteen hundred  pesos; for the clerks of courts in second-class provinces, twenty-four hundred pesos; for the clerks of courts in third-class  provinces, two thousand pesos;  for the clerks of courts in fourth-class provinces, eighteen hundred  pesos; for the clerks  of courts in fifth-class provinces and in the Provinces of Bontoc, Davao, Marinduque, Nueva Vizcaya, Romblon, Masbate, and Sulu, twelve hundred pesos; for the clerks  of the courts in the Provinces of Abra, Bukidnon, Cotabato, and  Lanao, nine 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, thirty-six hundred pesos, and for the seven deputy clerks, fifteen hundred pesos each; for the deputy clerks of courts  in first-class provinces, fifteen hundred pesos; for the deputy clerks of courts in second-class provinces, twelve hundred pesos; for the  deputy clerks  of courts in third- class provinces, nine hundred pesos; for the deputy clerks of courts  in fourth-class  provinces,  seven hundred. and twenty pesos; for the deputy  clerks of courts in fifth-class provinces and  in the Provinces of Bontoc, Davao,  Marinduque, Nueva  Vizcaya, Masbate,  Romblon, and Sulu, six hundred pesos; for  the deputy clerks  of the courts in the Provinces of Abra, Bukidnon, Cotabato, and  Lanao,  four hundred and eighty pesos.SEC. 4. Salaries  of  the court stenographers.—The  stenographers  of  the Courts of First Instance shall receive annual salaries in accordance with the following schedule: For the Ninth Judicial District  (Manila), six stenographers at thirty-two hundred pesos per annum each, and six junior  stenographers  at  twenty-four hundred pesos  per annum each; for the Court of First Instance of Pangasinan. two junior stenographers at twenty-four hundred pesos per annum each; for the Court of First Instance of Albay, one junior  stenographer at  twenty-four  hundred pesos per annum; for the Court of First Instance of Leyte, one junior stenographer at two thousand pesos per annum;  for the Court of First Instance of Cebu, one stenographer at thirty-two hundred pesos per annum and one junior stenographer at twenty-four hundred pesos per annum; for the Court of First Instance of Occidental Negros, one stenographer at thirty-two hundred pesos per annum ; for the Court of First Instance of  Iloilo, one stenographer at twenty-eight hundred pesos per annum, and one junior stenographer at two thousand pesos per annum; for the Court of First Instance of Zamboanga, one stenographer at two thousand pesos per annum; for  the other  Courts of First Instance and for the Auxiliary Judges of First Instance, thirty-one junior stenographers at eighteen hundred pesos per annum each; two stenographers at large at three thousand pesos per annum each; two  junior  stenographers  at  large  at twenty-four hundred pesos per annum each; and nine junior stenographers at large at eighteen hundred  pesos per  annum each.SEC. 5. Salaries of the interpreters of the Courts of First Instance.—The  interpreters of  the Courts of First Instance shall receive annual salaries in accordance with the following schedule:For the Ninth Judicial District (Manila),  three interpreters  at  twenty-four hundred pesos per annum each  and three interpreters at two thousand pesos per annum each; for the Court of First Instance of Batangas, one interpreter at eighteen hundred pesos per  annum; for the Court of First Instance of Iloilo, one interpreter  at eighteen hundred pesos per annum; for the  Court of First Instance of Pangasinan, one interpreter  at eighteen  hundred pesos per annum and  one junior interpreter at fifteen hundred pesos per annum; for the Court of First Instance of Leyte, one interpreter at eighteen hundred pesos per annum; for the Courts of First Instance of the other provinces and for the Auxiliary Judges of First Instance, seven junior interpreters at  fifteen hundred pesos per annum each, five junior interpreters at  twelve hundred pesos per annum each, ten junior interpreters at nine  hundred and  sixty pesos per annum each, and twenty junior interpreters at seven hundred and twenty pesos per annum each.SEC. 6. All sums available under Act  Numbered Three thousand and sixty, entitled "An  Act appropriating funds for the  necessary expenses of  the Government of the Philippine Islands  during the  fiscal  year ending December thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred  and twenty-three, and  for other purposes," for  the  payment of  the  salaries  of the officers  and  employees of the Courts of First Instance and inferior courts  are hereby made available for the payment of the salaries of the  positions authorized in this Act; and there are hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury  not otherwise appropriated, such additional sums as it may be necessary to  add to the sums appropriated by said Act Numbered Three  thousand and sixty, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and twenty-three.SEC. 7. Sections one hundred and fifty-nine, one hundred and sixty, and twenty-four hundred and seventy-six of Act Numbered Twenty-seven hundred and eleven,  and section two of Act  Numbered Twenty-nine hundred and forty-one, and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed or amended.SEC.  8. This Act shall take effect on its approval.Approved, March 17, 1923.

Source: Supreme Court E-Library