Exception to the rule on formal offer of evidence

Indeed, courts cannot consider evidence which has not been formally offered because parties are required to inform the courts of the purpose of introducing their respective exhibits to assist the latter in ruling on their admissibility in case an objection thereto is made. Without a formal offer of evidence, courts are constrained to take no notice of the evidence even if it has been marked and identified.

This rule, however, admits of an exception, provided that the evidence has been identified by testimony duly recorded and that it has been incorporated in the records of the case.

In this case, the subject pieces of evidence were presented in support of respondents’ motion for reconsideration of the denial of their motion to dismiss. A hearing was set for the reception of their evidence, but petitioner failed to attend the same. The pieces of evidence were thus identified, marked in evidence, and incorporated in the records of the case. Clearly, the trial court correctly admitted and considered the evidence of respondents warranting the dismissal of their case. (G.R. No. 185454. March 23, 2011)