[ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 182, January 13, 1939 ]
DESIGNATING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO EXERCISE SUPERVISION OVER THE PHILIPPINE CONSTABULARY
Pursuant to the provisions of Commonwealth Act Numbered Three hundred forty-three, entitled “An Act to abolish the State Police and to reorganize the Philippine Constabulary,” and until further orders, I, MANUEL L. QUEZON, President of the Philippines, do hereby designate the Secretary of the Interior as the Department Head to exercise supervision over the Philippine Constabulary, and publish the following policies and order for the guidance of all concerned:
1. The Chief of Constabulary shall, under the general supervision and control of the Secretary of the Interior, assume responsibility for the administration and employment of the Philippine Constabulary, in accordance with the provisions of Commonwealth Act Numbered Three hundred forty-three and as prescribed in Executive Orders Numbered One hundred fifty-three and One hundred seventy-five, and shall issue all orders involving assignments, transfers, travel, maintenance, supply, administration and duties of the Constabulary.
2. The Secretary of the Interior shall be responsible for the preparation of annual estimates of appropriations required for the pay, allowances, operational costs, and all necessary expenses of the Constabulary, and shall be further responsible that all funds appropriated for that organization are properly accounted for and expended in accordance with law and for the purposes for which appropriated.
3. Transfers of personnel between the Philippine Army and the Philippine Constabulary may be accomplished at any time upon the joint recommendation of the; Chief of Staff and the Chief of Constabulary, concurred in by the Secretary of the Interior, and approved by the President of the Philippines, in accordance with the authorized strength of the Constabulary as may be fixed from time totime.
4. Officers and soldiers of the Army assigned to the Constabulary shall retain their respective identities as members of the Army and their commission, enlistment, promotion, and discipline shall continue to be subject to the provisions of the National Defense Law (Commonweatlh Act Numbered One, as amended) and the Articles of War (Commonwealth Act Numbered Four hundred eight).
5. For purposes of the Articles of War, the Chief of Constabulary is hereby designated as an officer of General Courts-Martial jurisdiction over all officers and soldiers assigned to the Constabulary and shall be responsible for carrying out all regulations and instructions approved for the conduct of trial by courts-martial, and for the preparation and disposal of records pertaining thereto, within his command, and except as provided in articles forty-seven to fifty-three of the Articles of War, the decision, approval, or any other action taken by the Chief of Constabulary on cases tried by courts-martial shall be final.
6. The promotion and classification of officers assigned to the Constabulary shall be effected through machinery established for other officers of the Army, and the Chief of Constabulary shall be responsible for the preparation and submission of all records and efficiency and other reports required by the Chief of Staff for these purposes.
7. Enlisted men assigned to the Constabulary may be promoted, subject to the limitations as to numbers in each grade established by law and Executive instructions, by the Chief of Constabulary.
8. The rates of pay and allowances, and the retirement and other rights legally applying to officers and enlisted men of the Army shall not be affected by their assignment to the Constabulary.
9. Supplies and equipment of an essentially military character, and other supplies and equipment when agreed upon by the Department Head and the Chief of Staff, will be procured for the Constabulary by the Army’s supply services upon requisitions approved by the Department Head, and upon delivery, the necessary transfer of funds from the Constabulary to the Army will be accomplished, to cover all costs involved in the procurement and delivery of such supplies.
10. All civilian employees, laborers, and other administrative assistants required by the Philippine Constabulary shall be appointed by the Chief of Constabulary with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.
11. This Order shall take effect on February first, nineteen hundred and thirty-nine.
Done at the City of Manila, this thirtieth day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and thirty-nine, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the fourth.
