An Act Providing for the Organization of a Provincial Government in the Territory Comprised in the Comandancias of Lepanto, Bontoc, and Amburayan, and the Territory Lying Between Abra, Cagayan, and Bontoc Not Included within the Limits of Any Province; and Providing for Justices of the Peace in this Territory and in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya

May 28, 1902

ACT NO. 410

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF A PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN THE TERRITORY COMPRISED IN THE COMANDANCIAS OF LEPANTO, BONTOC, AND AMBURAYAN, AND THE TERRITORY LYING BETWEEN ABRA, CAGAYAN, AND BONTOC NOT INCLUDED WITHIN THE LIMITS OF ANY PROVINCE; AND PROVIDING FOR JUSTICES OF THE PEACE IN THIS TERRITORY AND IN THE PROVINCE OF NUEVA VIZCAYA

SECTION 1. The territory hitherto comprised in the comandancias of Lepanto, Bontoc, and Amburayan, together with the territory lying between the boundaries of Abra, Cagayan, and Bontoc and not hitherto included within the limits of any province organized under the Provincial Government Act, is hereby constituted a province, which shall be known as the Province of Lepanto-Bontoc. This province shall be divided into three subprovinces, as follows:

(a) The subprovince of Lepanto, which shall comprise the territory hitherto included in the comandancia of Lepanto;

(b) The subprovince of Bontoc, which shall comprise the territory hitherto included in the comandancia of Bontoc and that limited by the boundaries of Abra, Cagayan, and Bontoc and not hitherto included within the boundaries of any province organized under the Provincial Government Act;

(c) The subprovince of Amburayan, which shall comprise the territory hitherto included in the comandancia of Amburayan.

SECTION 2. The provisions of Act Numbered Three hundred and thirty-seven, entitled "An act providing for the organization of a provincial government in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya," and of Act Numbered Three hundred and eighty-eight amendatory thereof, are hereby made applicable to the Province of Lepanto-Bontoc: Provided, That the officers of the provincial government shall be:

(a) a provincial governor, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one thousand eight hundred dollars per year;

(b) A provincial secretary-treasurer, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one thousand two hundred dollars per year;

(c) A provincial supervisor, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one thousand five hundred dollars per year;

(d) A provincial fiscal, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one thousand five hundred dollars per year;

All in money of the United States and payable monthly.

The provincial officers shall reside and shall keep their offices at Cervantes, in the subprovince of Lepanto, which shall be the capital of the Province of Lepanto-Bontoc.

SECTION 3. There shall be a lieutenant-governor for the subprovince of Bontoc, who shall reside and have his office in the pueblo of Bontoc; and a lieutenant governor for the subprovince of Amburayan, who shall reside and shall have his office in the pueblo of Alilem. The lieutenant-governor of Bontoc shall receive compensation at the rate of one thousand four hundred dollars per year, in money of the United States and payable monthly. The lieutenant-governor of Amburayan shall receive compensation at the rate of one thousand two hundred dollars per year, in money of the United States and payable monthly. Subject to the supervision of the provincial governor, the lieutenant-governors shall exercise in their respective subprovinces the powers conferred upon the provincial governor by Acts Numbered Three hundred and thirty-seven and Three hundred and thirty-eight. They shall be eligible to appointment as deputies of the provincial secretary-treasurer.

SECTION 4. The lieutenant-governors shall have power to appoint such permanent assistants, clerks, and employees in their offices as may be approved by the provincial board. The number and salary of such employees shall be reported by them to the Treasurer of the Philippine Archipelago, who shall have the power to abolish such subordinate offices or reduce salaries; and no increase shall be made in the number of such employees or the amount of such salaries after having been reduced by the Treasurer of the Philippine Archipelago before his approval of the proposed increase shall have been obtained: Provided, That after March first, nineteen hundred and three, such employees shall be selected in accordance with the rules and restrictions of the Civil Service Act and the Acts amendatory thereof. The salaries of the officers and employees provided for in this Act shall be paid from the provincial treasury.

SECTION 5. The provincial governor, the secretary-treasurer, the supervisor, the lieutenant-governor of Bontoc, the lieutenant-governor of Amburayan, and the clerk of the Court of First Instance for the province, shall be justices of the peace, ex-officio. The provincial governor, secretary-treasurer, supervisor, and the clerk of the Court of the First Instance shall have jurisdiction throughout the province. The lieutenant-governor of Bontoc shall have jurisdiction throughout the subprovince of Bontoc and the lieutenant-governor of Amburayan throughout the subprovince of Amburayan.

SECTION 6. The provincial governor, the secretary-treasurer, the supervisor, and the clerk of the Court of First Instance for the Province of Nueva Vizcaya are hereby made justices of the peace ex-officio, with jurisdiction throughout the Province of Nueva Vizcaya.

SECTION 7. The sum of ten thousand dollars, local currency, is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the payment of salaries authorized by this Act and for general provincial expenses; and this appropriation shall be available both for the present and the next succeeding fiscal year.

SECTION 8. 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 9. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, May 28, 1902.