Pro-forma Complaint Forms Used in the RAB
The foregoing arguments are untenable. For the expeditious and
inexpensive filing of complaints by employees, the Regional Arbitration Branch
(RAB) of the NLRC provides pro-forma complaint forms. This is to facilitate the
exercise and protection of employees’ rights by the convenient assertion of their
claims against employers untrammeled by procedural rules and complexities. To
comply with the certification against forum shopping requirement, a simple
question embodied in the Complaint form answerable by “yes” or “no” suffices.
Employee-complainants are not even required to have a counsel before they can
file their complaint. An officer of the RAB, duly authorized to administer oaths, is
readily available to facilitate the execution of the required subscription or jurat of
the complaint.
This can be seen in the case at bar. Bastol, assisted by counsel, filled out the
Complaint form, line No. 11 of which is a question on anti-forum shopping which
he answered by underlining the word “No.”48[48] It is thus clear that the strict
application of Sec. 4, Rule 7 of the Rules of Court does not apply to labor
complaints filed before the NLRC RAB.
Verification by Counsel Sufficient
48[48] Rollo, p. 35.
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