Public Law 75–581

That there is

Philippine Islands.

Administration of oaths, etc., by certain officials of the office of High Commissioner to.

hereby conferred upon the Chief Clerk and the Assistant Chief Clerk, respectively, of the Office of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands, the authority whenever either of them is required or deems it necessary or proper so to do at any place within the territorial limits of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, to administer to or take from any person an oath, affirmation, affidavit, or deposition, and to perform any notarial act which any notary public is required or authorized by law to do within the United States or any of its possessions. Every such oath affirmation,

Force and effect.

affidavit, deposition, and notarial act administered, sworn, affirmed, taken, had, or done, by or before such Chief Clerk or Assistant Chief Clerk when certified under their respective hands and accompanied by a certificate attesting the official position of the person certifying as such Chief Clerk or Assistant Chief Clerk, under the hand and the seal of office of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands or of the Acting United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands, shall be as valid, and of like force and effect within the United States and its possessions, to all intents and purposes, as if administered, sworn, affirmed, taken, had, or done by or before any other person within the United States or its possessions duly authorized and competent thereto: Provided,

Proviso.

Existing previsions of law not replaced.

That nothing herein contained shall be held to limit or to replace any provision of law now in force in the Philippine Islands relative to the administration of oaths or the performance of notarial acts therein.

Sec. 2.

Any person who shall willfully and corruptly misstate, or

False, etc., statements, forgery, penalty for.

by any means procure any person to misstate, any material fact or matter in any such oath, affirmation, affidavit, or deposition, or shall forge any of the signatures or the seal hereinbefore mentioned or shall tender in evidence any of the documents heretofore mentioned with a false or counterfeit seal or signature thereto, knowing the same to be false or counterfeit, may be charged and tried in any court of the United States or of its possessions, including the Commonwealth of the Philippines, within whose territorial jurisdiction he may be found, and upon conviction of any offense herein described shall be imprisoned for not less than one nor more than three years, and fined in a sum not to exceed $3,000.

Sec. 3.

Any document mentioned herein purporting to have subscribed thereto or thereon the signature of the official administering or taking the same in testimony thereof, when accompanied by the above-mentioned certificate of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands or of the Acting United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands, shall be admitted in evidence without proof of the genuineness of the signature or seal of any official herein mentioned or of the official position of such official.