Republic Act No. 6401

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1

Section eleven of Republic Act Numbered Fifty-four hundred seventy-eight is amended to read as follows:

"Section 11. General qualifications of elective officers.— In addition to any special qualifications prescribed by this Charter, all elective officers of the city shall be qualified and registered electors of the city, at least twenty-five years old and must have resided in the city for at least one year prior to his election and shall hold no other public office except that of notary public or membership in the Armed Forces Reserve nor any other employment with the city or the National Government or any province or municipality."

Section 2. Subsection (n) of Section twenty

one of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"(n) To allow, if public interest and safety so require, the assistance of the Philippine Constabulary and other police agencies of the National Government in maintaining peace and order in the city.

Section 3

Section thirty-seven of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

"Section 37. Peace Officers—Their powers and duties.— The mayor, the chief of police, the deputy chief of police, the chief of the secret service, and all officers and members of the city police and detective forces shall be peace officers.  Such peace officers are authorized to serve and execute all processes of the city court and criminal processes of all other courts to whomsoever directed within the jurisdictional limits of the city or within the police limits as hereinbefore defined; within the same territory, to pursue and arrest without warrant, any person found in suspicious places or under suspicious circumstances reasonably tending to show that such person has committed, or is about to commit, a crime or breach of peace; to arrest or cause to be arrested, without warrant, any offender when the offense is committed in the presence of a peace officer or within his view; and in such pursuit or arrest, to enter any building, boat or vessel or take into custody any person therein suspected of having committed theft; and to exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.  They shall detain an arrested person only in accordance with the provisions of existing laws relative to such detention.  Whenever the mayor shall deem it necessary to avert danger or to protect life and property, in case of riot, disturbance, or public calamity, or when he has reason to fear any serious violation of law and order, he may request the assistance of the Philippine Constabulary or other members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and/or other police agencies."

Section 4

Section one hundred and three of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

"Section 103. Ownership of existing waterworks in the city.—Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, all existing public waterworks within the city shall be owned by the city, and revenues therefrom shall accrue to the general fund of the city."

Section 5

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, October 4, 1971.