An Act Amending Act Numbered Eighty-Two, Entitled "A General Act for the Organization of Municipal Governments in the Philippine Islands," and Act Numbered Three Hundred and Three, Amendatory thereof

February 1, 1902

ACT NO. 344

AN ACT AMENDING ACT NUMBERED EIGHTY-TWO, ENTITLED "A GENERAL ACT FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS," AND ACT NUMBERED THREE HUNDRED AND THREE, AMENDATORY THEREOF

SECTION 1. Paragraph (a) of section one of Act Numbered Eighty-two is hereby amended by adding at its close the following words:

"Disputes as to jurisdiction of municipal governments over places or barrios shall be decided by the provincial boards of the provinces in which such municipalities are situated, in the following manner: Presidents of provincial boards shall direct the presidents of the municipalities concerned to submit evidence, either written or oral, within fifteen days after notification, to the provincial board of the province in which said municipalities are situated, in support of their claims to jurisdiction. At the expiration of this period the board shall consider the evidence, if any, and shall assign the places or barrios in dispute to the municipality or municipalities which last exercised legal jurisdiction over them under the Spanish Government; or, in default of satisfactory evidence on this point the board shall assign them respectively to the municipality or municipalities chosen by a majority of the qualified electors resident in each of said places or barrios. The board shall determine and its president shall seasonably announce to those interested the time, place, and method of ascertaining the will of the majority of the electors; but if there be no such electors, or if such electors be equally divided in their preferences, the Board shall make assignment of said places or barrios to such municipality or municipalities as in its judgment will best conserve the interests of all concerned. Where the places or barrios in dispute are claimed by municipalities situated in different provinces, the provincial boards of the provinces concerned shall come to an agreement if possible, but, in the event of their failing to agree, an appeal shall be had to the Civil Governor, whose decision shall be final."

SECTION 2. Paragraph (e) of section One of Act Numbered Three hundred three is hereby amended by striking out the words beginning with "upon" in the second line and ending with "moneys" in the fifth line, and inserting in lieu thereof the following words: "Upon the election of a new president and vice-president an accounting shall be had between the incoming and the outgoing municipal officers, and each of the latter shall turn over to his successor in office all municipal books, records, accounts, and moneys in his possession." ISHCcT

SECTION 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, February 1, 1902.