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BA SAVINGS BANK, petitioner, vs. ROGER T. SIA, TACIANA U. SIA and JOHN DOE,

respondents.

G.R. No. 131214

July 27, 2000 PANGANIBAN, J.:

TOIC IN S!""ABUS# V.A.2. Format, certificatio, !erificatio

SU$$AR!# "A i##ue$ a Re#olutio $eyi% $ue cour#e to a Petitio for "ertiorari file$ &y BA 'a!i%# Ba(, o t)e

%rou$ t)at t)e "ertificatio o ati*forum #)o++i% icor+orate$ i t)e +etitio a# #i%e$ ot &y t)e $uly aut)ori-e$

re+re#etati!e of t)e +etitioer, a# reuire$ u$er '" "ircular No. 2/*1, &ut &y it# cou#el, i cotra!etio of #ai$

circular. R a# $eie$ &y t)e "A o t)e %rou$ t)at '" Re!i#e$ "ircular No. 2/*1 reuire# t)at it i# t)e +etitioer,

ot t)e cou#el, )o mu#t certify u$er oat) to all of t)e fact# a$ u$erta(i%# reuire$ t)erei.

SC#

I t)e ca#e of atural +er#o#, "ircular 2/*1 reuire# t)e +artie# t)em#el!e# to #i% t)e certificate of o*forum#)o++i%. oe!er, #uc) reuiremet caot &e im+o#e$ o artificial +er#o#, li(e cor+oratio#, for t)e #im+le rea#o

t)at t)ey caot +er#oally $o t)e ta#( t)em#el!e#. A# alrea$y #tate$, cor+oratio# act oly t)rou%) t)eir officer# a$

$uly aut)ori-e$ a%et#. "ircular 2/*1 a# +re#cri&e$ &y t)e 'u+reme "ourt to +ro)i&it a$ +eali-e t)e e!il# of forum

#)o++i%. e #ee o circum!etio of t)i# ratioale if t)e certificate a# #i%e$ &y t)e cor+oratio# #+ecifically

aut)ori-e$ cou#el, )o )a$ +er#oal (ole$%e of t)e matter# reuire$ i t)e "ircular.

HO% THE CASE REACHED THE SC# Petitio for Re!ie o "ertiorari u$er Rule 45 of t)e Rule# of "ourt, a##aili%

Au%u#t 6, 17 Re#olutio of "A i "A*GR 'P No. 4320. Al#o c)alle%e$ &y +etitioer i# t)e cto&er 24, 17 "A

Re#olutio $eyi% it# R.

&ACTS#

"A i##ue$ a Re#olutio $eyi% $ue cour#e to a Petitio for "ertiorari file$ &y BA 'a!i%# Ba(, o t)e %rou$ t)at 8t)e"ertificatio o ati*forum #)o++i% icor+orate$ i t)e +etitio a# #i%e$ ot &y t)e $uly aut)ori-e$ re+re#etati!e of

t)e +etitioer, a# reuire$ u$er '" "ircular No. 2/*1, &ut &y it# cou#el, i cotra!etio of #ai$ circular.8

A R a# #ueuetly file$, attac)e$ to )ic) a# a BA 'a!i%# Ba( "or+orate 'ecretary# "ertificate #)oi% t)

t)e +etitioer# Boar$ of 9irector# a++ro!e$ a Re#olutio aut)ori-i% t)e +etitioer# layer# to re+re#et it i ay actio

or +rocee$i% &efore ay court, tri&ual or a%ecy: a$ to #i%, e;ecute a$ $eli!er t)e "ertificate of No*forum

')o++i%, amo% ot)er#.

R a# $eie$ &y t)e "A o t)e %rou$ t)at '" Re!i#e$ "ircular No. 2/*1 8reuire# t)at it i# t)e +etitioer, ot t)e

cou#el, )o mu#t certify u$er oat) to all of t)e fact# a$ u$erta(i%# reuire$ t)erei.8

ISSUE#

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I fact, ot oly a# BA 'a!i%# Ba( aut)ori-e$ to ame a a%et to #i% t)e certificate: it al#o e;erci#e$ it# a++oiti

aut)ority rea#oa&ly ell. For )o el#e (o# of t)e circum#tace# reuire$ i t)e "ertificate &ut it# o retaie$

cou#el. It# re%ular officer#, li(e it# &oar$ c)airma a$ +re#i$et, may ot e!e (o t)e $etail# reuire$ t)erei.

"o#i#tet it) t)i# ratioale, t)e "ourt i Ro&er 9e!elo+met "or+oratio !. Ju$%e Je#u# >uitai )a# alloe$ e!e a

acti% re%ioal cou#el of t)e NP" to #i%, amo% ot)er#, t)e certificate of o*forum #)o++i% reuire$ &y "ircular 2/

1. =)e "ourt )el$ t)at t)e cou#el a# 8i t)e &e#t +o#itio to !erify t)e trut)fule## a$ t)e correcte## of t)e

alle%atio# i t)e "om+lait8 a$ 8to (o a$ to certify if a actio )a$ alrea$y &ee file$ a$ +e$i% it) t)e court#

"ircular 2/*1 a# +re#cri&e$ &y t)e 'u+reme "ourt to +ro)i&it a$ +eali-e t)e e!il# of forum #)o++i%. e #ee o

circum!etio of t)i# ratioale if t)e certificate a# #i%e$ &y t)e cor+oratio# #+ecifically aut)ori-e$ cou#el, )o )a$

+er#oal (ole$%e of t)e matter# reuire$ i t)e "ircular. I Berar$o !. N?R", e e;+laie$ t)at a literal iter+retatio

of t)e "ircular #)oul$ &e a!oi$e$ if $oi% #o oul$ #u&!ert it# !ery ratioale. 'ai$ t)e "ourt@

8I$ee$, )ile t)e reuiremet a# to certificate of o*forum #)o++i% i# ma$atory, oet)ele## t)e reuiremet# mu#

ot &e iter+rete$ too literally a$ t)u# $efeat t)e o&ecti!e of +re!eti% t)e u$e#ira&le +ractice of forum*#)o++i%.8

Fially, e #tre## t)at tec)ical rule# of +roce$ure #)oul$ &e u#e$ to +romote, ot fru#trate, u#tice. )ile t)e #ift

uclo%%i% of court $oc(et# i# a lau$a&le o&ecti!e, t)e %rati% of #utatial u#tice i# a e!e more ur%et i$eal.

RFR, t)e Petitio i# GRAN=9 a$ t)e a++eale$ Re#olutio i# RVR'9 a$ '= A'I9. =)e ca#e i#

RAN99 to t)e "ourt of A++eal#, )ic) i# $irecte$ to cotiue t)e +rocee$i%# i "A*GR 'P No. 4320 it) all

$eli&erate #+ee$.

RZ Zamora Case

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