REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6000 - AN ACT TO
AMEND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED TWO THOUSAND THREE
HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED THREE
THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO DECLARE THE
POSITION OF GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL DISTINCT AND SEPARATE FROM
THAT OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL, PROVIDE FOR HIS APPOINTMENT AND SALARY,
AND APPROPRIATE THE NECESSARY FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES"
Section 1. Section one of Republic Act Numbered Two thousand
three hundred twenty-seven, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Three
thousand eight hundred thirty-eight, is hereby further amended to read
as follows:
"Section 1. The position of Government Corporate Counsel
is hereby declared distinct and separate from that of the Solicitor
General. The Government Corporate Counsel, who shall be appointed by
the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on
Appointments, shall head the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel
as presently constituted. He shall have the rank and privilege of an
under-secretary of Department and shall receive compensation of
twenty-two thousand pesos per annum. He shall be the principal law
officer of all government-owned or controlled corporations.
"To enable him to discharge his functions as such, it shall be the duty
of all said corporations to refer to him all important legal questions
for opinion, advice and determination, all proposed contracts and all
important court cases for his services.
"He shall, moreover, exercise control and supervision over all legal
divisions maintained separately by said corporations.
"No government-owned or controlled corporation shall hire a private law
practitioner to handle any of its legal cases without the written
consent of the Government Corporate Counsel or the Secretary of
Justice."
Sec. 2. Section two of the same Act, as amended,
is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 2. The positions of three assistant government
corporate counsel are hereby created, each to receive as annual salary
of fifteen thousand pesos whose qualifications shall be the same as
those prescribed for Judges of the Courts of First Instance and who
shall also be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the
consent of the Commission on Appointments. When the Government
Corporate Counsel is unable to perform his duties or in case of vacancy
in the office, the senior assistant government corporate counsel shall
temporarily perform the functions of said officer, or in his absence,
the next senior assistant government corporate counsel.
"There shall also be thirty corporate attorneys who shall also be
appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the
Commission on Appointments and whose salaries shall be as follows:
"(a) Five corporate attorneys each of whom shall
receive an annual salary of thirteen thousand two hundred pesos;
"(b) Five corporate attorneys each of whom shall
receive an annual salary of twelve thousand four hundred eighty pesos;
"(c) Four corporate attorneys each of whom shall
receive an annual salary of eleven thousand seven hundred sixty pesos;
"(d) Four corporate attorneys each of whom shall
receive an annual salary of ten thousand eight hundred eighty
pesos;
"(e) Four corporate attorneys each of whom shall
receive an annual salary of ten thousand two hundred sixty pesos;
"(f) Four corporate attorneys each of whom shall
receive an annual salary of nine thousand five hundred forty pesos;
"(g) Four corporate attorneys each of whom shall
receive an annual salary of eight thousand eight hundred twenty pesos;
"The qualifications for appointment to the positions of corporate
attorneys mentioned in subparagraphs (a) to (f) above shall be the same
as those prescribed for provincial fiscals; those for corporate
attorney mentioned in subparagraph (g) above must be actual practice of
law in the Philippines for at least three years, or having occupied
during a like period within the Philippines, a position requiring
admission to the practice of law in the Philippines as an indispensable
requisite.
"There shall also be five research attorneys who shall be appointed by
the Secretary of Justice upon recommendation of the Government
Corporate Counsel and whose salaries shall be as follows:
"(a) One senior research attorney at seven thousand
three hundred twenty pesos per annum;
"(b) Two research attorneys at six thousand six
hundred pesos per annum each;
"(c) Two research attorneys at five thousand eight
hundred eight pesos per annum each.
"The present positions of the administrative staff of the Government
Corporate Counsel are hereby reclassified as follows:
From To
Position Range
(Minimum Range (Minimum
Maximum) Maximum)
Administrative Officer 43
(4,860-5,928) 45 (5,376-6,552)
Cashier and Disbursing
Officer 38
(3,792-4,632) 40 (4,188-5,112)
Budget Officer 42
(4,632-5,640) 44 (5,112-6,240)
Administrative Assistant 39
(3,984-4,860) 41 (4,404-5,376)
Supervising stenographer 34
(3,108-3,792) 36 (3,432-4,188)
Stenographic Reporter 34
(3,108-3,792) 36 (3,432-4,188)
Private Secretary 34
(3,108-3,792) 36 (3,432-4,188)
Chief Records Officer 36
(3,432-4,188) 38 (3,792-4,632)
Supply Officer I 34
(3,108-3,792) 36 (3,432-4,188)
Records Officer I 33
(2,952-3,612) 35 (3,264-3,984)
Docket Clerk 31
(2,676-3,264) 33 (2,952-3,612)
Librarian 36
(3,432-4,188) 38 (3,792-4,632)
Security Guard 29
(2,424-2,952) 31 (2,676-3,264)
Clerical Aide 27
(2,196-2,676) 29 (2,424-2,952)
Janitor-messenger 27
(2,196-2,676) 29 (2,424-2,952)
Sec. 3. Provisions of any law to the contrary
notwithstanding, all the incumbent Assistant Government Counselors,
Trial Attorneys, Research Attorneys, and the members of the
Administrative Staff of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel
as presently constituted shall each receive, without the necessity of a
new appointment, the salary rates provided for in this Act upon the
recommendation of the Government Corporate Counsel who shall determine,
on the basis of competence, merit, rank, and seniority, the salary rate
that each personnel deserves: Provided, That none of those holding
office as such on the effectivity of this Act shall, by reason thereof,
be removed from office or be demoted in salary, except for cause and
upon compliance with the due process provided for by law.
Sec. 4. The expenses for the maintenance of the
Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, shall be paid from
assessments which the President of the Philippines shall determine and
make upon government-owned or controlled corporations, or corporations
the majority stock of which is owned or controlled by the Government
and instrumentalities of the Government performing proprietary
functions, and which assessments shall be paid by said entities to the
General Fund within the first quarter of every fiscal year: Provided,
That the General Fund shall advance such sums as may be necessary for
said maintenance, which is hereby appropriated.
In addition to said assessments, whenever a government-owned and
controlled corporation, or corporation the majority stock of which is
owned or controlled by the Government, or an instrumentality of the
Government performing proprietary functions, is awarded attorney's fees
in a judicial proceeding handled by the Office of the Government
Corporate Counsel, one-half of said attorney's fees shall be paid
directly to the General Fund.
Sec. 5. Any law to the contrary notwithstanding,
the government-owned or controlled corporations, or corporations the
majority stock of which is owned or controlled by the Government, and
instrumentalities of the Government performing proprietary functions,
are hereby authorized to extend to the personnel of the Office of the
Government Corporate Counsel such benefits and privileges as are given
to their corporate employees.
Sec. 6. In addition to such sums as may have been
provided in the current Appropriations Act, there is hereby authorized
to be appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act.
Sec. 7. All laws, specifically the provisions in
the respective charters or laws creating government-owned or controlled
corporations, or corporations the majority stock of which is owned or
controlled by the Government, and instrumentalities of the Government
performing proprietary functions, and all executive orders and
regulations contrary to the provisions hereof, are hereby repealed.
Sec. 8. This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.
Enacted without Executive
approval, August 4, 1969.
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