judge of first instance in all actions heard by him under such assignment, but he shall not sit in the Supreme Court in review  of any decisions made by him in such capacity. [136-29.] Courts of First Instance in General  SECTION  171 . Courts of First Instance . — Courts of general original jurisdiction, known as Courts of First Instance, are organized and established throughout the Philippine Islands in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. [2347-1, 2.] SECTION  172 . Judges of First Instance . — The judicial function in Courts of First Instance shall be vested in judges of first instance and auxiliary judges of first instance, to be appointed and commissioned as hereinafter provided. [2347-1, 2.] SECTION  173 . Appointment of Judges . — Judges of first instance and auxiliary judges shall be appointed by the Governor-General, with the advice and consent of the Upper House of the Philippine Legislature, to serve until they shall reach the age of sixty-f ive years. [2347-7.] SECTION  174 . Qualifications . — No person shall be appointed judge of first instance or auxiliary judge unless he has practiced law in the Philippine Islands or in the United States for a period of not less than five years or has held during a like period,  within the Philippine Islands or within the United States, an office requiring a lawyer's diploma as an indispensable requisite; and before assuming such judicial office he shall qualify as a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands  if he has not already done so. [2347-7.] SECTION  175 . Clerks and Other Subordinate Employees of Courts of First Instance . — Clerks, deputy clerks, assistants, and other subordinate employees of Courts of First Instance, including the employees of the General Land Registration Office, shall, for a dministrative purposes, belong to the Bureau of Justice; but in the performance of their duties they shall be subject to the Copyright 2012 CD Technologies Asia, Inc. and Accesslaw, Inc. Philippine Law Encyclopedia 2011 58