The City Attorney and Register of Deeds ex officio.
Section 23
SEC. 23. The City Attorney and Register of Deeds ex officio.—His compensation, powers and duties.—The city attorney who shall discharge his duties under the general supervision of the Secretary of Justice shall be the chief legal adviser of the city. He shall receive a salary of not exceeding three thousand six hundred pesos per annum. He shall act as city register of deeds ex officio with an additional compensation of six hundred pesos per annum. He shall have the following powers and duties: He shall, personally or through his representatives represent the city in all civil cases wherein the city or any officer thereof, in his official capacity, is a party, and shall prosecute and defend all civil actions related to or connected with any city officer or interest; He shall, when directed by the mayor, institute and prosecute in the city's interest all suits or any bond, lease, or other contract and upon any breach or violation thereof; He shall, when requested, attend meetings of the Board, draw ordinances, contracts, bonds, leases, and other instruments involving any interest of the city and inspect and pass upon any such instruments already drawn; He shall give his opinion in writing, when requested by the mayor or the board or any of the heads of the city departments, upon any question relating to the city or the rights or duties of any city officer thereof. He shall, whenever it is brought to his knowledge that any city officer or employee is guilty of neglect or misconduct in office, or that any person, firm, or corporation holding or exercising any franchise or public privilege from the city, has failed to comply with any condition, or to pay any consideration mentioned in the grant of such franchise or privilege, investigate or cause to be investigated the same report to the mayor; He shall investigate all charges of crimes, misdemeanors and violations of law and city ordinances and prepare the necessary information or make the necessary complaints against the persons accused. He may conduct such investigations by taking oral evidence of reputed witnesses, and for this purpose may, by subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, to summon witnesses to appear and testify under oath before him, or to produce documents and other evidence before him, and the attendance of, or to produce documents and other evidence before him, and the attendance of, or the production of documents and other evidence by an absent or recalcitrant witness may be enforced by application to the city court or the court of first instance; He shall have charge of the prosecution of all crimes, misdemeanors, and violations of laws and city ordinances triable in the Court of First Instance of Negros Occidental and the city court, and shall discharge all the duties in respect to criminal prosecutions enjoined by law upon provincial fiscal; He shall cause to be investigated the causes of sudden deaths which have not been satisfactory explained and when there is suspicion that the cause arose from the unlawful acts or omissions of other persons or from foul play. For that purpose he may cause autopsies to be made in case it is deemed necessary and shall be entitled to demand and receive for the purpose of such investigation of autopsies the aid of the health officer; He shall at all times render such official services as the mayor or the board may require, and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by law or ordinance; and He shall perform the duties prescribed by law for register of deeds.