Grant of Authority to Members of Congress to Administer Oaths

July 25, 1989

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6733

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 21, TITLE I, BOOK I OF THE REVISED ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1987, GRANTING MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF THE CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES THE GENERAL AUTHORITY TO ADMINISTER OATHS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Section 21 of the Revised Administrative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 21. Officials authorized to administer oath. — The following officers have general authority to administer oaths, to wit:

"President; Vice-President; Members and Secretaries of both Houses of the Congress; Members of the Judiciary; Secretaries of Departments; provincial governors and lieutenant-governors; city mayors; municipal mayors; bureau directors; regional directors; clerks of courts; registrars of deeds; and other civilian officers in the Philippine public service whose appointments are vested in the President of the Philippines and are subject to confirmation by the Commission of Appointments; all other constitutional officers; and notaries public. A person who by authority of law shall serve in the capacity of the officers mentioned above shall possess the same power."

SECTION 2. Section 41 of the Administrative Code of 1987 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 41. Officers Authorized to Administer Oath. — The following officers have general authority to administer oaths: President; Vice-President; Members and Secretaries of both Houses of the Congress; Members of the Judiciary; Secretaries of Departments; provincial governors and lieutenant-governors; city mayors; municipal mayors; bureau directors; regional directors; clerks of courts; registrars of deeds; other civilian officers in the public service of the government of the Philippines whose appointments are vested in the President and are subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments; all other constitutional officers; and notaries public."

SECTION 3. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to disauthorize any person now authorized to administer oaths under existing laws.

SECTION 4. The Members and Secretaries of both Houses of Congress may delegate the authority to committee secretaries or any staffer thereof in the conduct of a pending inquiry or investigation.

SECTION 5. Those authorized to administer oaths under this Act shall not be required to keep a register of the oaths they administer nor keep or submit copies of the same, except in the case of notaries public, or as otherwise required by existing laws.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at least one (1) national newspaper of general circulation, and as to the amendments of Section 41 of the Administrative Code of 1987, upon the effectivity of said Code. casia

Approved: July 25, 1989

Published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 28, 1989. Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 85 No. 41 page 6254 on October 9, 1989.