REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7679 - AN ACT CREATING THE MUNICIPALITY OF SOFRONIO ESPAÑOLA IN THE PROVINCE OF PALAWAN

Section 1.    Barangays Pulot Center, Pulot Shore (Pulot I), Pulot Interior (Pulot II,) Iraray, Punang, Labog, Panitian, Isumbo, and Abo-Abo in the Municipality of Brooke's Point, Province of Palawan, are hereby separated from the Municipality and constituted into a distinct and independent municipality of the province, to be known as the Municipality of Sofronio Española.  The seat of government of the new municipality shall be in Barangay Pulot Center.  

Sec. 2.    The boundary of the Municipality of Sofronio Española is described as follows: 

Corner     Latitude      Longitude        Location

    1    8º 53'50.23"    118º 00'20.28"     on the southern
    side of Caramay Bay

    2    8º 59'58.01"    117º 51'24.42"     on the slopes of
    Mantalingahan Range

    3    9º 01'01.84"    117º 54'03.69"     on the slopes of
    Mantalingahan Range 

    4    9º 02'52.18"    117º 54'29.33"     on the slopes of
    Mantalingahan Range

    5    9º 04'18.78"    117º 55'15.71"     on the slopes of

    Mount Corumi

    6    9º 05'34.18"    117º 55'18.00"     on the slopes of
    Pulot Range

    7    9º 07'49.27"    117º 56'48.09"     on the slopes of
    Pulot Range

    8    9º 09'50.88"    117º 59'50.82"     on the slopes of
    Malanut Range

    9    9º 11'26.26"    118º 03'49.28"     on the slopes of
    Malanut Range

    10    9º 11'26.26"    118º 03'49.28"     on the slopes of
    Malanut Range

    11    9º 08'58.93"    118º 07'35.58"     southern side,
    mouth of Abo-Abo River

    Line    Bearing    Distance

    1-2    N. 55º 23'W    19,886.37 m.

    2-3    N. 68º 03'E    5,244.48 m.

    3-4    N. 13º 00'E    3,478.91 m.

    4-5    N. 28º 02'E    3,013.93 m.

    5-6    N. 01º 44'E    2,317.35 m.

    6-7    N. 33º 33'E    4.979.17 m.

    7-8    N. 71º 16'E    5,892.79 m.

    8-9     N. 16º 10'E    4,168.24 m.

    9-10    N. 82º 50'E    6,170.26 m.

    10-11    S. 56º 50'E    8,261.31 m.

    11-1    SW, meandering mainland coastline. 

The new municipality shall include the islands of Bintaugan, Inamukan, Arrecife, Bessie, Gardiner, and Tagalinog.

Sec. 3.    The Municipality of Sofronio Española shall acquire corporate existence upon the ratification by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite to be conducted in the areas affected within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act.

The Commission on Elections shall conduct and supervise the plebiscite.  The expenses for such plebiscite shall be paid out of the appropriations for the Commission on Elections under the current General Appropriations Act.  

Sec. 4.    After the approval of the creation of such municipality in the plebiscite, the mayor, the vice-mayor and the members of the sangguniang bayan of the new Municipality of Sofronio Española shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines and shall hold office until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

Sec. 5.    This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

* Lapsed into law without the signature the President on February 24, 1994, in accordance with Article VI, Sec. 27(1) of the Constitution.