The Philippine Trial Lawyers Association (PTLA) has called on the Supreme Court to permit the use of Filipino in all Philippine courts during Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, a celebration of the national language. The association says this move would promote a wider public understanding of court proceedings.
The PTLA, through a resolution adopted on June 1, has requested the High Court to allow the use of Filipino, citing provisions of the 1987 Constitution that recognize Filipino as the national language and one of the country's official languages.
The association's president, Pete S. Principe, expressed hope that the High Court would approve the request, saying "We are hoping that the Supreme Court will grant our request that Tagalog be exclusively used in all Philippine courts during the Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa celebrations this coming Aug. 1 to Aug. 31."
The PTLA cited data from the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, which showed that 92% of Filipinos can understand and speak Filipino. The association argues that greater use of the language in court proceedings would make them more accessible to the public.
The ongoing impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is cited as an example of how the use of Filipino by lawyers and senator-judges has made the proceedings easier for viewers to follow, according to the PTLA's secretary general, Yolando F. Lim.
The association also argues that conducting court proceedings in Filipino would eliminate the need for Filipino-English interpreters in hearings and make proceedings easier to understand, particularly in areas where Filipino is more widely spoken.
