SC issues ruling in Filipino to boost access to justice

The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a landmark decision written in Filipino in a move aimed at making justice more accessible and understandable to ordinary Filipinos.

In a 14-page ruling penned by Maria Filomena Singh, the High Court stressed that language plays a crucial role in promoting access to justice and narrowing the gap between judicial decisions and public understanding.

The decision, issued in G.R. No. 210480, underscored that using Filipino in court rulings allows litigants and citizens to better comprehend legal decisions without the burden of highly technical language or the need for translation.

The case stemmed from a petition filed by Mel Velarde and Angeline Macasaet questioning proceedings before the Court of Tax Appeals involving a tax evasion complaint tied to the alleged undervaluation of a property transaction.

However, the SC dismissed the petition for being moot and academic after the CTA earlier junked the criminal case, and the dismissal became final and executory.

The tribunal said there was no longer an actual controversy that required resolution, adding that none of the recognized exceptions to the mootness doctrine applied in the case.

Despite shifting to Filipino, the SC emphasized that legal precision remains intact, noting that legal doctrines and technical concepts can still be conveyed clearly and accurately while staying understandable to the public.