ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 160, July 03, 1951

MALACAÑAN PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 160, July 03, 1951 ]

CREATING AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE TO STUDY CERTAIN MATTERS INCIDENT TO THE TERMINATION OF WAR WITH GERMANY

WHEREAS, the Philippines has been invited by the United States, Great Britain and France to terminate the state of war with Germany in accordance with their agreement of September 19, 1950;

WHEREAS, the participation by the Philippines in the negotiations for the termination of the state of war with Germany would be advantageous to our country in that it would gain stature in international relations, extend its area of diplomatic influence to a global scope and develop a substantial trade with Germany, the largest among the European countries trading with the Philippines before the war; and

WHEREAS, the acceptance of said invitation necessitates the taking of certain steps incident to the termination of the state of war with Germany;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ELPIDIO QUIRINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create an Interdepartmental Committee to be composed of the following:

A representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs	Chairman
A representative of the Department of Justice	Member
A representative of the Department of Finance	”
A representative of the Department of Commerce and Industry	”
A representative of the Department of National Defense	”

which shall study certain necessary steps incident to the termination of the state of war with Germany, such as:

(1) Revocation or amendment of whatever laws, rules or decisions are presently in force which prohibit trading with German nationals.

(2) Revocation or amendment of whatever laws, rules or decisions are presently in force pertaining to the naturalization or immigration of German nationals.

(3) Screening of German residents in order to determine who may be war criminals.

The Committee is hereby empowered to call upon any officer or employee of any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the Government, including the corporations owned or controlled by it, for such assistance as it may need in the performance of its functions.

Done in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of July, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-one, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the fifth.

(Sgd.) ELPIDIO QUIRINO

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) MARCIANO ROQUE

Acting Assistant Executive Secretary