Section 11
SEC. 11. Rights of Succession.&mdashWhere no special elections are held to fill a permanent vacancy in the office of barrio lieutenant, arising from death, permanent incapacity, resignation, abandonment, and recall of the incumbent in a plebiscite held pursuant to section six of this Act; or where there is failure to elect a qualified candidate, the councilman who obtained the largest number of votes in the barrio elections immediately preceding shall assume the office of barrio lieutenant. If for some reason the councilman who obtained the largest number of votes is incapacitated from assuming the office of barrio lieutenant or refuses to assume such office, the councilman who obtained the next largest number of votes in the barrio elections immediately preceding shall assume the office of the barrio lieutenant, and so on until the permanent vacancy in the office of the barrio lieutenant is filled. There is abandonment of office of barrio lieutenant if the incumbent fails or refuses without lawful cause to enter upon the discharge of his duties within a period of six months from the time he ceases or neglects to perform his official duties. Should the barrio lieutenant elect die before assumption of office or fail to qualify for any reason, the councilman who obtained the largest number of votes in the barrio elections immediately preceding shall assume office until the barrio lieutenant qualifies. In case of tie between the councilmen who obtained the largest number of votes in the barrio election immediately preceding, the barrio council will decide on who shall succeed. In the event that no special election is held and for some reason the senior councilman-elect is incapacitated from assuming the office of barrio lieutenant, the rule of succession described in the first paragraph of this section shall be followed. In the event of temporary incapacity of the barrio lieutenant to perform the duties of his office on account of absence on leave, sickness, or any temporary incapacity, the senior councilman shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the barrio lieutenant except, unless unanimously authorized by the barrio council, the power to point, suspend or dismiss employees. In the event that the senior councilman is temporarily incapacitated to perform the duties of the barrio lieutenant or refuses assume such office, the councilman who obtained the next largest number of votes among the incumbent councilmen in the barrio elections immediately preceding shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the barrio lieutenant except, unless unanimously authorized by the barrio council, the power to appoint, suspend or dismiss employees.