Prosecutors seek Filipino, regional language use in Sara Duterte trial

MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution team in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial seeks the use of Filipino and translations for regional languages to ensure the proceedings could be easily understood by Filipinos, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said on Monday.

In a media briefing, lead prosecutor Luistro said the panel will formally raise the request at the June 18 pre‑trial conference, when the House prosecution team and Duterte’s defense counsel will meet to settle evidentiary disputes and streamline the flow of the proceedings before the trial begins.

READ: Luistro: Over 30 witnesses to be presented in Duterte impeachment trial

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“I wish to formalize as well on this upcoming pre-trial conference the possibility of us, the prosecutors and even the defense, to use the Filipino language when the same is possible,” she said. “This is because we understand that this is a constitutional process. This is not purely legal.”

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“What is at stake is the interest of the Filipino people. So it is our intention that everything happening during the impeachment trial should be understandable to ordinary Filipinos,” she added in mixed English and Filipino.

Impeachment prosecution spokesman and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said discussions are underway on possible setups to allow the real‑time translation of the proceedings into major local languages.

“That’s an ongoing discussion that we’re having with the comms team,” he said in the same briefing. “What we intend to provide to the public is the widest information, easy to understand for the public.”

READ: Chua: One article enough to convict Sara Duterte

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He said the trial, expected to draw close national attention given Duterte’s political following, may be difficult for the public to track because of the use of legal jargon.

“Once the impeachment trial begins, the audience will be hearing technical legal terms that are not necessarily quite understandable, easily to understand by the public,” Adiong said.

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Luistro and Adiong’s statements come as the 11‑member prosecution team prepares to file its pre‑trial brief at the Senate on Monday, which would outline the facts of the case, the witnesses it plans to present, supporting evidence, and proposed trial dates.

The filing comes ahead of a pre‑trial conference set on Thursday, where the House prosecution team and Duterte’s defense counsel are expected to resolve the following:

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stipulation of facts and simplification of issues;

marking of documentary or real evidence and waiver of objections or admissions on evidence;

number and identification of witnesses;

setting of trial dates;

proposed sequence for the presentation of evidence and possible modification of the order of trial;

such other matters as will promote a fair and expeditious trial of the case. /das