Manila: The House prosecution panel is looking at ways to help ordinary Filipinos better understand the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, including the possible use of Filipino during court proceedings and the translation of trial developments to major regional languages.

According to Philippines News Agency, lead prosecutor and House Committee on Justice chairperson Rep. Gerville 'Jinky Bitrics' Luistro stated during a press briefing that prosecutors plan to formally raise during the June 18 pretrial conference the possibility of allowing the use of Filipino whenever practical during the proceedings. Luistro expressed the intention to make the impeachment trial developments understandable to ordinary Filipinos by using the Filipino language when feasible.

Luistro acknowledged the challenges posed by translating legal concepts and technical terms but emphasized the prosecution's desire to make the proceedings more accessible to the public. She also highlighted the importance of providing translations of trial developments in major regional languages to ensure that Filipinos across the country can follow the case.

Luistro underscored that impeachment is a constitutional process concerning public accountability, which should be comprehensible to all citizens, not just legal and political figures. She appealed to mainstream and social media platforms to assist in disseminating accurate information throughout the trial.

House impeachment spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong mentioned that discussions are underway with the communications team to present trial information in a more understandable manner. He emphasized the importance of enabling citizens to comprehend the issues, evidence, and arguments presented during the impeachment court proceedings, given the significant public interest in the case.

The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to hold its pretrial conference on June 18, with the trial proper set to commence on July 6.