Duterte trial: ICC rejects victims' request to use Tagalog in opening statement
Philstar · 11/2/2026, 8:16:00 PM Philippine time
Story summary
Philstar reports that International Criminal Court judges declined a request for victims’ lawyers to deliver part of their opening statements in Tagalog in the case against former president Rodrigo Duterte.
The request was discussed at the November 2 status conference. Victims’ representatives sought approximately 15 to 20 minutes in Tagalog, explaining that people following the proceedings in the Philippines could connect more directly with accounts delivered in that language.
The presiding judge referred to English and French as the court’s working languages and said another language would require exceptional justification. The report also describes concerns about interpretation, cost and the fact that not all victims speak Tagalog.
The judge said she would ask the registry about making a Tagalog translation or transcript available online. The trial was scheduled to open November 30, with shorter initial sitting days and regular breaks. These are procedural developments, not findings on guilt.
Misu Living commentary
Our interpretation, separate from the publisher’s reporting.Access to justice includes being able to understand proceedings that affect a community. Translations and clear public explanations deserve attention alongside courtroom language rules. For readers, it is equally important to distinguish procedural decisions from evidence and eventual judgments, and to follow official court updates as the case progresses.