Rule 23

DEPOSITIONS PENDING ACTION

Rule 23 rule regulates Depositions de bene esse or those taken or the purpose o a
pending a!tion as a "ode o dis!o#er$%
Rule 2& regulates Depositions perpetua" in rei "e"oria" or those taken to
perpetuate e#iden!e or purposes o an anti!ipated a!tion or urther pro!eedings in a
!ase on appeal%
DISCO'ER( ) *+oh #s% IAC,
a% To obtain kno-ledge through depositions. through -ritten interrogatories
b% To obtain ad"ission ro" ad#erse part$.
!% To inspe!t rele#ant do!u"ents or ob/e!ts and lands or other propert$.
d% To deter"ine the ph$si!al and "ental !ondition o a part$%
A0 No% 13)2)13)SC 4 *5ul$ 236 211&, pro#ides the guidelines in the !ondu!t o pre)trial
and use o deposition dis!o#er$ "easures%
7nder the guideline6 the trial !ourts are dire!ted to issue orders re8uiring the parties
to a#ail o interrogatories to parties under Rule &9 and re8uest or ad"ission o
ad#erse part$ under Rule 2: or at their dis!retion "ake use o depositions under Rule
23 or other "easures under Rule 2; and 2< -ithin 9 da$s ro" =ling o the ans-er%
The parties are like-ise re8uired to sub"it6 at least 3 da$s beore the pretrial6 pre)
trial bries6 !ontaining a"ong others6 a "aniestation o their ha#ing a#ailed or their
intention to a#ail o dis!o#er$ pro!edures%
Dis!o#er$ pro!edures dis!retionar$ on parties !on!erned%
>hen deposition "a$ be taken?
a% @$ lea#e o !ourt ater su!h /urisdi!tion has been obtained o#er an$ deendant or
o#er propert$ -hi!h is the sub/e!t o the a!tion. or
b% >ithout su!h lea#e ater the ans-er has been =led%
DiAerent 0odes o Dis!o#er$
2% Depositions Pending A!tion *Rule 23,
2% Deposition @eore A!tion or Pending Appeal *Rule 2&,
3% Ad"ission b$ Ad#erse Part$ *Rule 2:,
&% Produ!tion or Inspe!tion o Do!u"ents or Things *Rule 2;, and
9% Ph$si!al and 0ental eBa"ination o Persons *Rule 2<,
Deposition is not a !ondition sine 8ua non to the holding o the pre)trial% Thereore6 it
is not a #alid ground to suspend the holding o pre)trial and trial on the "erits%
Dis!o#er$ pro!edure thru "odes o dis!o#er$ "ust be done ater =ling o !o"plaint
or ater ans-er is =led -ithout undul$ dela$%
DiAeren!e bet-een deposition and trial% Deposition is or the purpose o
Cdis!o#eringD e#iden!e -hile trial is or the purpose o CpresentingD e#iden!e to the
!ourt%
I the petitionersE !on!ern -as the dela$ in the disposition o the !ase6 the re"ed$ is
to eBpedite the taking o the depositions6 not ter"inate the" altogether%
>hile speed$ disposition o !ases is i"portant6 su!h !onsideration should not
out-eigh a thorough and !o"prehensi#e e#aluation o !ases%
Pending petition or !ertiorari -ithout restraining order is not a ground to postpone
pre)trial%
EB!eption? 7nless !ertiorari is =led in good aith and "eritorious as part$ needs to
obtain !riti!al e#iden!e through dis!o#er$%
A deposition should be allo-ed6 unless there is a sho-ing that taking it -ould
pre/udi!e an$ part$%
Attendan!e o -itnesses "a$ be !o"pelled b$ the use o a subpoena%
The deposition o a person !on=ned in prison "a$ be taken onl$ b$ lea#e o !ourt on
su!h ter"s as !ourt pres!ribes %
A#ailabilit$ o deponent to testi$ in !ourt does not !onstitute Cgood !auseD to /usti$
!ourtEs order that his deposition shall not be taken%
Deposition is not generall$ a substitute or the a!tual testi"on$% I a#ailable6 a part$Es
o -itnessE deposition is inad"issible in e#iden!e or being hearsa$%
The eB!eptions ho-e#er to the inad"issibilit$ o su!h deposition are pro#ided or in
Rule 236 Se!tion &6 as ollo-s?
a% An$ deposition "a$ be used b$ an$ part$ or the purpose o !ontradi!ting or
i"pea!hing the testi"on$ o deponent as a -itness.
b% The deposition o a part$ or an$ one -ho at the ti"e o taking the deposition -as
an oF!er6 dire!tor or "anaging agent o a publi! or pri#ate !orporation6
partnership or asso!iation -hi!h is a part$ "a$ be used b$ an ad#erse part$ or
an$ purpose.
!% The deposition o a -itness6 -hether or not a part$ 6 "a$ be used b$ an$ part$
or an$ purpose i the !ourt =nds?
2% That the -itness is dead. or
2% That the -itness resides at a distan!e "ore than 211 k" ro" the pla!e o
trial or hearing6 or is out o the Philippines6 unless his absen!e is pro!ured b$
the part$ oAering the deposition6 or
3% That the -itness is unable to attend or testi$ be!ause o age6 si!kness6
in=r"it$6 or i"prison"ent6 or
&% That the part$ oAering the deposition has been unable to pro!ure the
attendan!e o the -itness b$ subpoena. or
9% 7pon appli!ation and noti!e6 that su!h eB!eptional !ir!u"stan!e eBist as to
"ake it desirable6 in the interest o /usti!e and -ith due regard to the
i"portan!e o presenting the testi"on$ o -itnesses orall$ in open !ourt6 to
allo- the deposition to be used. and
d% I onl$ part o a deposition is oAered in e#iden!e b$ a part$6 the ad#erse part$
"a$ re8uire hi" to introdu!e all o it -hi!h is rele#ant to the part introdu!ed6 and
an$ part$ "a$ introdu!e an$ other parts%
A /udg"ent b$ deault "a$ be rendered against a part$ -ho ails to ser#e his ans-er
to -ritten interrogatories
S!ope o EBa"ination? regarding an$ "atter6 not pri#ileged6 -hi!h is rele#ant to the
sub/e!t o the pending a!tion%
In the absen!e o a pra$er or general relie6 the "o#ing part$ usuall$ is !on=ned to
the relie asked or in the "otion or spe!i=ed in its noti!e. at "ost6 relie ne!essaril$
in!ident to -hat -as asked or "a$ be granted%
EBa"ination and !ross)eBa"ination o deponents "a$ pro!eed as per"itted at the
trial under se!tions 3 to 2< o Rule 232%
7nder Se!% 2;6 the oF!er beore the deposition is taken does not ha#e the po-er to
rule upon the ob/e!tions to the 8uestions% Ge should "erel$ ha#e su!h ob/e!tions
noted in the deposition%
Depositions are generall$ not "eant to be a substitute or a!tual testi"on$ in open
!ourt o a part$ or -itness%
Depositions "a$ be used -ithout the deponent being !alled to the -itness stand b$
the proponent6 pro#ided !onditions is =rst satisa!toril$ established% A"ong these is
-hen the -itness is out o the Philippines%
Trial !ourtEs ad"ission o deposition "ust be respe!ted%
Republi! A!t No% <&336 other-ise kno-n as CThe Speed$ Trial A!t o 233<6D
stipulations entered into during the pre)trial -hi!h are appro#ed b$ the trial !ourt and
or"ed part o the re!ords o the !ase is binding%
Ad"issibilit$ o deposition "a$ still be ob/e!ted on the ground it is hearsa$ inspite o
the opportunit$ o !ross)eBa"ination during the taking o deponentEs deposition%
As a rule6 the inad"issibilit$ o testi"on$ taken b$ deposition is an!hored on the
ground that su!h testi"on$ is hearsa$6 i%e% the part$ against -ho" it is oAered has
no opportunit$ to !ross eBa"ine the deponent at the ti"e his testi"on$ is oAered%
@ut as /urispruden!e tea!hes6 it "atters NOT that opportunit$ or eBa"ination "ust
be a!!orded a part$ at the ti"e o testi"onial e#iden!e is a!tuall$ presented against
hi" during the taking o the deposition !annot6 -ithout "ore6 be !onsidered a -ai#er
o the right to ob/e!t to its ad"issibilit$ in !ourt as e#iden!e in the taking o the
deposition6 @7T ob/e!ting to its ad"issibilit$ in !ourt as e#iden!e6 petitioner did not
assu"e in!onsistent positions% Ge is not6 thus6 stopped ro" !hallenging the
ad"issibilit$ o the deposition /ust be!ause he parti!ipated in the taking thereo%
Deposition is not be used -hen the deponent is at hand%
Ob/e!tions to errors and irregularities in depositions are dee"ed -ai#ed i not
ob/e!ted to beore or during the taking o the deposition%
Ob/e!tions to the !o"peten!$ o a -itness or the !o"peten!$6 rele#an!$6 or
"aterialit$ o testi"on$ "a$ be "ade or the =rst ti"e at trial%
Certiorari -ill not lie against an order ad"itting or re/e!ting a deposition6 the re"ed$
being an appeal ro" the =nal /udg"ent%
The pri"ar$ un!tion o depositions is to supple"ent the pleadings or the purpose o
dis!losing the real points o dispute%
The use o dis!o#er$ pro!edures is dire!ted to the sound dis!retion o the trial
!ourts%
Deposition in oreign !ountr$ is not -ithin the trial !ourtEs po-er6 "u!h less the
respondentEs to or!e the Clerk o Court o oreign !ountr$ to ha#e the deposition
taken beore it% Ater all6 -hile a !ourt had the authorit$ to entertain a deposition
re8uest6 it is not re8uired to pro#ide /udi!ial assistan!e thereto%
Go- depositions in oreign !ountries "a$ be taken? In our /urisdi!tion
a% On noti!e beore a se!retar$ o e"bass$ or legation6 !onsul general6 !onsul6 #i!e
!onsul6 or !onsular agent o the Republi! o the Philippines6
b% @eore su!h person or oF!er as "a$ be appointed b$ !o""ission or under letters
rogator$. or
!% @eore an$ person authoriHed to ad"inister oaths as stipulated in -riting b$ the
parties%
>hile letters rogator$ are re8uests to oreign tribunals6 !o""issions are dire!ti#es to
oF!ials o the issuing /urisdi!tion%
CO00ISSION IETTERS ROGATOR(
Is an instru"ent issued b$ a !ourt o /usti!e6 or
other !o"petent tribunal 6 dire!ted to a
"agistrate b$ his oF!ial designation or to an
indi#idual b$ na"e6 authoriHing hi" to take the
Is a re8uest to a oreign !ourt to gi#e its
aid6 ba!ked b$ its po-er6 to se!ure
desired inor"ation%
depositions o the -itnesses na"ed therein
is taken in a!!ordan!e -ith the rules laid do-n
b$ the !ourt issuing the !o""ission%
The "ethods o pro!edure are under the
!ontrol o oreign tribunal%
The authenti!ation "ade b$ the !onsul -as a rati=!ation o the authorit$ o the
notar$ publi! -ho took the 8uestioned depositions% *The deposition -as6 in eAe!t6
obtained through a !o""ission and no longer through letters rogator$%,
>hen lea#e o !ourt not re8uired? -hen the deposition is to be taken beore a
se!retar$ o e"bass$ or legation6 !onsul6 general6 !onsul6 #i!e)!onsul or !onsular
agent o the Republi! o the Philippines and the deendantEs ans-er has alread$ been
ser#ed%
Deposition is not restri!ted to sole un!tion o being a "ode o dis!o#er$ beore trial.
it "a$ be taken e#en ater trial has !o""en!ed and "a$ be used -ithout the
deponent being a!tuall$ !alled to the -itness stand%
There is no prohibition against the taking o depositions ater pre)trial%
Depositions are allo-ed6 pro#ided the$ are taken in a!!ordan!e -ith the pro#isions o
the ROC%
Court dis!retion in deposition is not unli"ited% Taking o deposition should not be
allo-ed -hen?
a% A deposition does not !onor" to essential re8uire"ents o the la- and "a$
"ateriall$ !ause in/ur$ to the ad#erse part$.
b% The ends o /usti!e -ould be better ser#ed i the -itness -as brought to the trial
!ourt to testi$%
!% The trial !ourt had alread$ ad"itted the eBhibits on -hi!h the -itnesses -ould
ha#e testi=ed%
Re"ed$ o ad#erse part$ i onl$ part o a deposition is oAered in e#iden!e? Re8uire to
introdu!e all o it -hi!h is rele#ant to the part introdu!ed6 and an$ part$ "a$
introdu!e an$ other parts%
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Se!tions 2; to 23 do not ha#e annotations%