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.