Commonwealth Act No. 660




[ Commonwealth Act No. 660, June 21, 1941 ] AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ABOLITION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Be it enacted by the National Assembly of the Philippines: Section 1. The President of the Philippines is authorized, at any time within one year after the approval of this Act, by executive order to abolish the Department of the Interior and any or all of itsd bureaus or offices and to transfer all their powers, functions, duties, records, documents, furniture, office equipment, and property to the Executive Office, the Department of Justice and the Department of National Defense, in the following manner: (a) To the Executive Office.-The power of executive supervision and the duties of the Secretary of the Interior concerning the administration of provinces, municipalities, cities and other local political subdivisions, and matters relating to the information, publicity, and propaganda work of the Government, and all records, documents, furniture, office equipment, and property used in connection therewith. (b) To the Department of Justice.-The power of executive supervision and the duties of the Secretary of the Interior concerning the Board of Review for Moving Pictures, and all records, documents, furniture, office equipment, and property used in connection therewith, and the power of executive supervision and the duties of the Secretary of the Interior concerning matters relating to the registration of priests and Ministers and administration of the Marriage Law. (c) To the Department of National Defense.-The power of executive supervision and the duties of the Secretary of the Interior concerning the Philippine Constabulary and the local police forces, and all records, documents, furniture, office equipment, and property used in connection therewith. Section 2. The President of the Philippines is authorized to transfer such of the employees and appropriations of the Department of the Interior existing at the time of the approval of this Act to the department to which the duties performed by them have been transferred by this Act as may be necessary to provide said departments with adequate personnel.ℒαwρhi৷ The President of the Philippines is likewise authorized to order the transfer of such other employees of the Department of the Interior as may be found in excess of the needs of the departments in connection with the activities transferred thereto by this Act, to any other bureau or office of the Government which may have actual need for their services. Section 3. All positions of such employees of the Department of the Interior as may not be transferred to the several Departments, or to other bureaus and offices as provided herein, within one year from the approval of this Act, shall be considered abolished, and such employees shall be entitled to retirement gratuity in accordance with the provisions of Act Numbered Four thousand and fifty-one as if they were retired under said Act. Section 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved, June 21, 1941. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation