Rep. Gerville Luistro and other members of the House prosecution panel are seeking the translation of impeachment trial proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte into various Philippine dialects, saying this is needed to ensure broader public understanding of the constitutional process.

Luistro said the proposal aims to make the upcoming trial—set to begin on July 6—more accessible to ordinary Filipinos, noting that legal discussions often involve complex terminology that can be difficult to understand even in Filipino.

On the upcoming pre-trial conference, Luistro said prosecutors and even the defense may be encouraged to use the Filipino language when possible.

“We understand there are legal terminologies which are really hard to translate. This is a constitutional process. This is purely legal, what is at stake is the interest of the Filipino people,” Luistro said.

The lawmaker added that the objective is for “all that will happen during the impeachment trial should be understandable on the part of ordinary Filipinos.”

She also called on mainstream media and social media platforms to help ensure accurate dissemination of information throughout the proceedings.

Luistro further appealed to House leaders and lawmakers from the Visayas and Mindanao to explore the possibility of providing simultaneous translation during the trial.

She said the goal is to produce translations “to as many dialects as possible” so that Filipinos across the country can follow the proceedings and remain informed as the trial progresses.

“After all, this is a constitutional process. We want the entire nation to walk with us as we start, continue and conclude the impeachment trial,” she said.

The impeachment case is being handled by members of the House prosecution panel, including Luistro, against Duterte before the Senate, which is sitting as an impeachment court.