November 16, 2006

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 156-06

For your information and guidance, the Court En Banc had issued a resolution dated August 15, 2006 in

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(f) AUTHORIZE the Clerks of Court of the Regional Trial Courts to notarize not only documents relating to the exercise of their official functions but also private documents, subject to the following conditions: (i) all notarial fees charged in accordance with Section 7(o) of Rule 141 of the Rules of Court, and, with respect to private documents, in accordance with the notarial fee that the Supreme Court may prescribe in compliance with Section 1, Rule V of the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice, shall be for the account of the Judiciary; and (ii) they certify in the notarized documents that there are no notaries public within the territorial jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court;

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(SGD.) CHRISTOPHER O. LOCK
Court Administrator