Local government in the Philippine islands,

136 LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES

judicial and the administrative powers with the assistance
of their respective subordinates, the encomenderos.292
Legazpi, in organizing the city government, appointed
two judges, twelve aldermen, and several other officers.'!'
These officers were under the direct supervision and control of the Central Government, particularly of the Governor. The same centralized control and supervision were
inaugurated by the succeeding governors, so much so that
the people of Manila protested and the King, in compliance
with their protest, established the Audiencia, a sort of a
cabinet with judiciary powers, as a check to the Governor. An attempt at the system of "checks and balances"
was carried out. However, in the long run the Audiencia
could not subjugate the Governor so as to force him to
192 Vide-Spanish Period: Local Government prior to the 3Ma-nra
Law, ch. iii, supra.
Facts from Manila in 1842 by Cor. Charles Wilkes, U. S. N.
Also from researches made in the case of Vilas v. Manila. d?cided
by the Supreme Court U. S., (1911) 220 U. S., 345; 55 L. Ed. 491;
42 Phil. 953; Montero y Vidal's Historia General de Filipinas (Madrid, 1887), I. pp. 42-43.
193 Vide ch. iii, supra; Fernandez, Leandro H.: Researches in
Philippine History, p. 51.
Foundation of the City of Manila.-"I, Hernando Riquel, Notaryin-chief and governmental notary for his Majesty in these islands of
the West, do hereby certify most solemnly, to whomsoever shall see
this present, that the most illustrious Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. governor and captain-general in these said islands, gave the title of
the city to this colony of Manila, on the third day of the month of
June of the past year seventy-one; and on the twenty fourth day of
the same month and year, which was St. John's day, he appointed
two alcaldes in ordinary, one alguacil mayor, and twelve regidores;
and on the day following he appointed one notary for the cabildo
and two notaries public for the court of the said alcaldos, as is set
forth in greater detail, and appears by the list of the said appointments, which are in my possession. Therefore, that this might be
manifest, I have been ordered by the aforesaid governor to draw
up the present document; which is done in the said city of Manila,
on the nineteenth day of the month of June, in the year one thousand
five hundred and seventy-two." Blair and Robertson: The Philippine Islands, III, pp. 173-174.