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Evelyn Macairan - The Philippine Star
July 24, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Impeachment court hearings in Filipino – “sustained” or “overruled?”
The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) yesterday said it is considering requesting the Senate, acting as the impeachment court, to also use the Filipino language in its deliberations in August, in commemoration of the Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa.
KWF chairperson Marites Barrios-Taran told The STAR that their board would discuss today whether to write to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero and request senators to consider using the Filipino language in the hearings.
The KWF might send its letter to the Senate next week.
Since July 6, the Senate has been convening as an impeachment court to hear the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
“The discussions in the hearing do not have to be in full English. They also do not have to use deep or profound Filipino language. Our request is for both English and Filipino to be used in the hearings, it could be conversational to be better understood by the public,” Taran said.
She suggested that witnesses deliver testimony in Filipino and the prosecution and defense also question the witness in Filipino so that the people would have a better grasp of the discussions in the trial.
As for the use of legal and technical terms, she clarified that there is no need to translate them in Filipino because this might only cause confusion.
