Section 56REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6038, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES., Sec./Art. 56

Depositions. The NEA may, in any investigation, proceeding or hearing, by its order in writing, cause the deposition of witnesses residing within or without the Philippines to be taken in the manner prescribed by the Rules of Court. Where witnesses reside in places distant from Manila and it would be inconvenient and expensive for them to appear personally before the NEA, the NEA may, by proper order, commission any clerk of the Court of First Instance, municipal judge or justice of the peace of the Philippines to take the deposition of witnesses in any case pending before the NEA. It shall be the duty of the official so commissioned to designate promptly a date or dates for the taking of such deposition, giving timely notice to the parties, and on said date to proceed to take the deposition, reducing it to writing.

After the depositions have been taken, the official so commissioned shall certify to the depositions taken and forward them as soon as possible to the NEA. It shall be the duty of the respective parties to furnish stenographers for taking and transcribing the testimony taken. In case there are no stenographers available, the testimony shall be taken in long hand by such person as the clerk of court, the municipal judge or justice or the peace may designate. The NEA may also commission a notary public to take the depositions in the same manner herein provided.

The Board may also, by proper order, authorize any of the attorneys of the legal division or division chiefs of the NEA to hear and investigate any case filed with the NEA or any matter within the jurisdiction of the NEA and in connection therewith to receive such evidence as maybe material thereto. At the conclusion of the hearing or investigation, the attorney or division chief so authorized shall submit the evidence received by him for the Board of Administrators to enable the latter to render its decision.