The department attorney shall appear and take charge of prosecutions for the government in any court of justice within the department, but he may direct the assistant attorney to represent the public in the prosecution of crimes in any courts within the de partment, when the public interest requires it. The assistant attorney shall also render such other services as may be assigned to him by the department attorney. During the temporary absence from duty of the said assistant attorney, or whenever for any re ason he is disqualified to act therein in an official capacity, or in case of a vacancy in such office, or whenever, from any cause, such officer is unable to, or does not appear in any criminal proceeding in any court in the department, the department gov ernor, whenever in the judgment of the department attorney it shall be necessary, shall appoint a temporary assistant attorney who shall have the powers of such assistant attorney and shall serve in such capacity until his temporary employment shall be term inated by the governor. For such service, the temporary assistant attorney shall receive such compensation as the governor shall determine, not exceeding the salary herein provided for the assistant attorney. With the consent of the court first had, tie department attorney and the assistant attorney may stay the proceeding in any criminal action in the courts of justice within the department, at any stage in the proceeding. The department attorney shall dischar ge his duties under the general supervision of the Attorney-General, and the Attorney-General shall represent the department and the provincial and municipal governments organized within the territory of the department in all suits for or against them whic h shall come before the Supreme Court, except in cases where the interests of the department are opposed to those of any provincial or municipal government when he shall represent the department, and the province or municipality may employ special counsel; but if the Attorney-General deems it necessary he may require the department attorney to assist in the presentation of the cause before the Supreme Court. In every criminal case appealed to the Supreme Court from any court held within the territory of the department, the attorney or his assistant shall forthwith make a report to the Attorney-General explaining the questions of law and fact appearing therein and the conclusions of the court. The attorney shall make an annual report to the Attorney-General a s to the condition of public and private litigation in the courts throughout the department. The department attorney shall be  ex officio  register of deeds for the department, unless the administrative council appoints a register of deeds therefor, which it  is authorized to do. The Secretary of Finance and Justice may designate the justice of the peace at the capital of any province except Zamboanga, if a duly qualified lawyer, as  ex officio  register of deeds for the province, and may fix in the designation  the extra compensation, not exceeding twenty-five pesos per month, which such justice of the peace shall receive. In a 796 Copyright 2012 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. and Accesslaw, Inc. Philippine Law Encyclopedia 2011