Section 16
Sec. 16. Section twenty-three of Act Numbered One hundred and thirty-six, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 23. The governor of the province, or, if he declines to act as sheriff, any person lawfully appointed to the position of sheriff, shall, before being qualified to perform the duties of sheriff or officer of the court, execute a bond, with not less than three sureties, running to the Government of the Philippine Islands, for the benefit of whom it may concern, in the penal sum of twenty thousand pesos. The sureties on said bond shall qualify under oath before the judge of the Court of First Instance, or, in his absence, before the clerk of the court. The bond shall be conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of himself and his deputies as sheriff and officer of the court, and for the payment to the Government or the persons entitled thereto of all sums of money "that shall come into bis or their hands officially. Its form shall-be prescribed by the Auditor, who shall approve and forward it to. the Insular treasurer for file. The bond shall bear an indorsement of the provincial treasurer stating that after due investigations and to the best of his knowledge and belief, the sureties collectively own real property in the sum of twenty thousand pesos, free from incumbrances and over and above any liabilities owing by them. The bond shall thereupon be forwarded to the Insular Treasurer and. after his approval, be kept on file in his office. The bond shall be available for the benefit of the Government and of any person in interest. Until the bond has been approved by the Auditor the officer shall not be entitled to any fees for services performed, but the Auditor's approval shall be effective as of the date of the bond. The governor or sheriff may require each deputy appointed by him in execute a sufficient indemnity for his protection against any wrongdoing on the part of such deputy."