Ancient justice in the bisayas.pdf

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Part of The Local Government Review

extracted text: ANCIENT JUSTICE IN THE BISAYAS RAJAH BENDAHARA KlALANTIAW These are the laws which I lay at the feet of the Rajah Besar and request that they be established for the government of the Bisayas and ·their posterity. Competent men,. knowing the an· cicnt · ways of the Bisayas, were assemb!ed r.nd, af.ter consulting and advising relative to the old usages, compiled in conformity thereto this code of Und::mg Undang or Institutes. Let them be known and descend to posterity, that men may· not act according to their own .wills and inclina· tions, but that order and regularity may prevail, as well during prosperity as adversity, a:i:Jd that what is established be not done away. If these laws are attended .to, no one <'an question the authority of the datos for authority will have been conferred upon them by the Rajah lBesar. the highest authority in the land, that they may administer the law in their res:pective towns, and whoever shall not atlmit this awthority will offend against the law of the land. · THE BEGINNING OF MANILA'S LAST ROYAL DYNlASTY SULTAN-EMPEROR NAKODA RAGAM J am the Sultan Bulkeiah in Bor· nf'o where I rule from the city of peace, Dares Salam, on the river Brunei. In Magindanaw, and in Sulu, whence comes my incomparable wife, Empress Lela Men Chanei, men call me Rajah Baguindia. And now in Maynila I am Sultan and Emperor. Twice have my fleets ~!tacked Selurung, which you style Lusung, and this time I have c'onquered. The boastful Dato Gambang, your late ruler, lies de&d, and a princess from his house shall become a wife of mine to carry on the dynasty of Pasig. Our son will be your lord. and, because you es( Continued on page 489) SEPTEMBER, .1949 'PR.ONUNCIAMENTOS (Continued from page 456) conversely physical health is hard to keep unless one is happy and contented. * * * FERNANDO CALDERON-Money alone does not make life worth living. Nay, in most instances it blinds and renders him insensible to agony and suffering of his fellowmen. There can be no genuine feeling of satisfaction without the honest thought of having served faithfully and well, regardless of financial return. * * * ----«O»..---N eW Legislation ... (Continued from page 485) ditor or district health officer ·as herein fixed shall not take effect until after one·half thereof shall have been provided for in the General Appropria.tion Act. Sec. 3. All acts and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are repealed. Sec. 4. This Act shall take effect on July l, 1949. Approved, June 10, 1949. ---oOo--SU PRE ME COURT (Continued from page 474) tion to the use of the Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, for the meeting app.lied for, the respondent is ordered .to issue the corresponding permit, as requested. So ordered. Moran, C.J., Pablo, Perfecto and Bcnzon, JJ., conc·Jr. Paras, J., concurs in a separate opinion. Briones, · J., concurs in a separate opinion. Hila.do, J., dissents in a separate opL. nion. Tuason, J·., dissents in a separate opinion. . Padilla, J., takes no part. --:-o-:-Youth i!> a blunder; Manhood; a struggle ; Old Age a regret. -DisraeliIn youth the days are short and the ~·ears long; iii old age the years are short and the days long.-Panin.Page 475 board and either affirm or reverse the decision of the provincial board. (Sec. 2624 (h), Adm. Code) 79. The express authorization of the provincial governor shall be neces· eary to alienate or constitute any lien upon any real property of the municj.pality, and with the pr:or authorization of the Secre•'.ary of the Interior, to close jn whole or in part any municipal road, street, alley, park, or square, and to devote the same to any municipal purpose, or '1o convey the same, with or without money consideration to the province, or to the Na· tional Government for governmental p:irpose3. (Sec. 2625 (b), Adm. Code) 80. Ordil'ances passed under Sec. 2625 ( m) , Adm. Code, re streets, sidewalks, ·plazas, parks, water supply, and special assessment shall not be valid or take effect until it shall have been approved by the provincial board and the Secretary of the Interior. (Sec. 2"625 (m). Adm. Code) 81. Excess condemna•tion is subject to the approval of both the provincial board and the Sec. of the Int. (Sec. (2625 (n), Adm. Code) 82. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to organize municipal district governments and exercise jurisdiction over them through the provincial governors. (Sec. 2630, Adm. Code) 83. The provincial board is empowered to prescri-be the tax to be collected in. municipal districts subjec:t to ap· proval of the Sec. of the Int. (Sec. 2"631, Adm. Code) 84. Allowance for disability in line of duty is subject to approval by Department Head. (Sec. 699, Adm. Code) 85. Retirement as a result of a bona fide reorganization under Act 4183 as amended is subject to approval of Sec. of the Interior. SEPTEMBER, 1949 Ancient Justice ... (Continued from page 475) teem ancient lineage, know that I am descended from the great Iskande·r, the Alexander of far off E1rope, by his queen, the daughter of :forus, most vaJ.iant of Hindus, through San Sapurba who crossed the sea to Java and whose d·escendant ruled in Johur whence my great-grandfather, Tt.:!8n Alak her Tatar, stole the pr:nces royal for his bride. And in my veins, from Hassim, runs the Arab blood of the true prophet of the merciful and compassio~<.te God. Chiw3se blood, too, by a princess of Kina !Ealu, have I, and for five hundred years have ·;he kings of Brunei worn the imperial yellow by recognition of Tchina's emperor. We have long had as well notat and lbdlls from Malacca and Menangkaihaw. regalia of royalty for Hindu and for Isl~mite. But prouder than of being a king am I of my well-earned title of Nakoda for none captains better a ship than' I and my praus have ridden out the storms in these stormiest of seas, and in blood I boast of being a Bisa· yan. Though Chinese and Ara~ herald appears in my ~ourt its chiefest ornament is the lengthy loin-cloth, the chawat that forty men always bear aloft b~fore me. •When I. gird up my loins with it for battle, they are wellgirded and the battle is well-fought. From Malacca to Maynila men know the name of Nakoda Ragam and dread the man, regardless of my ro~alty. So do you, men of the Lusung rivers, fail not in your duty to my future son, your rajah, nor .forget t~ pay ~early a gan:ta of gold m Br:ine1, as tribute, s·ince of old yours was 1the Island of Gold. . 'r" .......................................... - ..................................... ·1. t Se,.ving the count-ry's needs in ~ ~ Machineries, Construction Materials 4 • and Gen. Merchandise. 4 . ~ t PHILIPPINE VETERANS 4 t TRADING CORP. l • 2072 Azcarraga, Manila ~ . ' ~ ..................................................... _ Page 489
Date: 1949
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