Guardianship of Incompetent Veterans and of Minor Children of Disabled or Deceased Veterans

November 12, 1931

ACT NO. 3854

AN ACT CONCERNING THE GUARDIANSHIP OF INCOMPETENT VETERANS AND OF MINOR CHILDREN OF DISABLED OR DECEASED VETERANS OF FORMER MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND NAVAL ESTABLISHMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES

SECTION 1. When used in this Act:

The term "Veterans Administration" shall mean that agency of the United States Government authorized to administer laws relating to the relief and other benefits for former members and their dependents of the military and naval establishments of the United States.

The term "ward" means a beneficiary of the Veterans Administration.

SECTION 2. The judge of a Court of First Instance of each province may appoint guardians for the persons and estates, or either of them, of wards who are inhabitants or residents of the province or who reside without the Philippine Islands and have estates within the province. When the whole or part of the estate under guardianship is derived from the Veterans Administration, the Manila Branch of that organization may petition the court that such an appointment be made, and it is hereby authorized to ask that it be represented by the Bureau of Justice in all court proceedings involving such guardianship.

Before the appointment of such a guardian takes effect, the judge must require of such guardian a bond to the ward in an amount not less than the sum then due and estimated to be payable by the said Veterans Administration during the ensuing year.

SECTION 3. When such guardian presents his account to the court for settlement and allowance, a true and correct copy thereof shall be sent by the clerk of court to the Branch Office of the Veterans Administration in Manila within such time as shall, in the usual course of mail and travel, enable the said office to send a representative at the hearing of such account and make such objections as may be proper.

SECTION 4. Such a guardian shall be allowed a reasonable amount for his expenses incurred in the execution of his trust, such compensation for his services as the court in which his accounts are settled, deems just and reasonable, and also a commission upon all disbursements made by him: Provided, That such compensation and commission shall not exceed five per centum of the income of the ward during any year. In the event of extraordinary and unusual services rendered by such guardian, the court may, upon petition and after hearing thereon, authorize additional compensation therefor payable from the estate of the ward. Notice of such petition and hearing shall be given the Branch Office of the Veterans Administration in Manila in the manner provided above within such time as shall enable the said office to send a representative at the hearing to make such objections as are proper. HDICSa

SECTION 5. All the provisions of chapter twenty-seven of Act Numbered One hundred and ninety, in so far as they are not in conflict with the provisions hereof, shall apply to proceedings under this Act.

SECTION 6. Act Numbered Thirty-five hundred and forty-five is hereby repealed, but the pending cases under said Act shall be governed by the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, November 12, 1931.