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vision over the municipal officers. He receives and investigates complaints against municipal officers for neglect of duty, oppression, corruption, or other form of maladminis tration. For a minor delinquency he may reprimand the offender, and if a more severe punishment is deserved, he may suspend the officer, unless he is the municipal treasurer

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THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING (PRESIDENCIA) AT PARAÑAQUE, RIZAL

or the justice of the peace, and file written charges with the provincial board. In this case, the provincial board will set a date for trial, allowing the accused full opportunity to be heard. If the board decides to deal with the officer more severely, the records of the case, together with the recommendation of the board, will be sent to the chief of the Executive Bureau. The Executive Bureau can order the reinstatement, dismissal, or suspension of the official. Disciplinary

suspension cannot exceed two months in duration, while final dismissal does not take effect until recommended by the department head and approved by the Governor-General. The municipal official suspended from duty pending investigation, receives no pay in the meantime, but upon subsequent exoneration or reinstatement, the department head may order the payment of the whole or part of the salary accruing during such suspension.

258. The Municipal President. The municipal president is the chief executive of the municipal government. He exercises general supervision over the local administrative affairs; sees that the laws and municipal ordinances are faithfully executed; aids the provincial treasurer and his deputies in the collection of taxes, and coöperates with the health authorities in the enforcement of sanitary laws and regulations. He can issue orders for the maintenance of peace and the avoidance of public calamities. He presides at the meetings of the municipal council, recommends measures for the betterment of the locality, and attends the convention of municipal presidents when called by the provincial board. He signs deeds or instruments conveying real property on behalf of the municipal government, but these acts must be upon the resolution of the council approved by the provincial governor. In the temporary absence of both the justice of the peace and auxiliary justice of the peace, he makes the preliminary investigation in urgent criminal cases.

The municipal president fills all non-elective positions \ in the municipal service, except those of treasurer, justice of the peace, and teachers, with the consent of the majority of the members of the council. He may suspend any nonelective officer or employee over whom he has the power of appointment, for a period not exceeding ten days without pay, which suspension may be continued for a longer period

by the council; upon the consent of the majority of the members of the council, he may discharge any such officer or employee.

The municipal president makes a quarterly report of the condition of agriculture and live stock in his municipality, and upon the approval of the municipal council of such report, copies are forwarded to the provincial governor, to the representative of his district in the House of Representatives, and to the Director of Agriculture. At the end of the month of December of each year, he makes an annual report of the important events of the locality and sends it to the municipal council and the provincial governor.

259. The Municipal Vice-President. The municipal vice-president is elected for a term of three years. He acts as president in case of a vacancy. He is also a member of the council. He has supervision over the district in which the municipal offices are situated.

260. The Municipal Treasurer. The municipal treasurer is appointed by the provincial treasurer in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Law. He may be removed from office by the provincial board. He is the financial officer of the municipality, and ex-officio deputy of the provincial treasurer in the collection of the revenue. He is the custodian of the municipal property, including buildings, lands, and equipment. His books and accounts are open to inspection by the provincial treasurer, or his deputy, and by the district auditor.

261. The Municipal Secretary. - The municipal secretary acts as the clerk of the council and performs other duties prescribed by the council. He is the custodian of the municipal archives, and keeps a journal of the proceedings of the council and a record of other acts of the municipal government. He keeps a civil register for the municipality, in which he

records all births, marriages, and deaths. Physicians and midwives residing within the limits of the municipality are obliged to forward to the secretary prompt notification of every birth or death that occurs under their personal supervision. Persons residing within the municipality authorized to celebrate marriages must forward to the municipal secretary notification of every marriage, so that it may be entered in the civil register.

262. Duties of a Councilor. A councilor participates in the duties of the municipal council as a body, and serves as the representative of the true interests of the people of the entire municipality. At the same time, as an individual official, the councilor exercises immediate supervision over the barrio or district confided to his care. It is his duty to /bring to the attention of the council the needs of his barrio or district. He also keeps the inhabitants of his barrio or district informed of the acts of the council and other governmental measures which directly concern them.

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The councilor appoints a lieutenant of the barrio and a substitute lieutenant in each barrio. The lieutenant of the barrio assists the councilor in the performance of his duties, maintains order, and makes arrests when necessary.

263. Meeting of the Municipal Council. The municipal council holds regular meetings every two weeks and special meetings as often as occasion demands. The president, or any two members of the council, may call a special meeting upon giving a written notice of it to each member of the council.

A majority of the council constitutes a quorum to do business. When a quorum is lacking, a majority of the councilors in actual attendance may adjourn from time to time and may enforce the immediate attendance of any member absent without good cause by issuing to the municipal police

an order for his arrest and production at the session; or they may impose a fine upon the delinquent member in such amount as shall have been previously prescribed by ordinance. / Meetings of the municipal council are public except when it considers and votes upon appointments submitted to it by the president, in which case it can hold a closed session. The municipal council determines its own rules of procedure, punishes its members for disorderly conduct, and with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members it may suspend, and, subject to the approval of the provincial board, may expel a member for cause. The council keeps a journal of its own proceedings. The ayes and noes must be taken and entered in the journal upon the passage of all ordinances, upon all propositions to create any liability against the municipality, and upon any other subject on the request of a member. The affirmative vote of the majority of all the members of the council is necessary for the passage of any proposition creating indebtedness. For other measures, except as specially provided, the majority vote of the members present is sufficient. The president, as presiding officer of the council, has no right to vote except in case of a tie.

264. Municipal Ordinances and Resolutions. "Ordinance" is the name given to the measures passed by the municipal council in the exercise of its law-making authority. Less formal and permanent matters may be approved as "resolutions."

An ordinance or resolution must be enacted by the council and approved and signed by the president. The president has the right to veto an ordinance or resolution, in which case he returns it to the council, which may again repass it over the veto of the president upon a two-thirds vote of its members. In the latter case, it shall become valid without his approval. If the president does not veto or approve the

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