Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo on Monday questioned former Office of the Vice President (OVP) official Gina Acosta over her apparent difficulty understanding and answering questions in Filipino or English during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, pointing out that she had previously testified in Filipino before the House of Representatives.

Interjecting during the prosecution’s direct examination, Tulfo cited transcripts of Acosta’s testimony before the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability in November 2024.

Acosta, who served as the OVP’s special disbursing officer (SDO), testified at the time on matters involving Duterte’s confidential funds, including how the funds were withdrawn and disbursed.

Tulfo noted that the transcripts showed Acosta answering lawmakers’ questions in Filipino without apparent difficulty.

“I cannot understand why she suddenly finds it so difficult to speak in Tagalog when in fact in Congress last November, her answers were in Tagalog. It’s all Tagalog, Mr. President, what is this?” Tulfo said.

The exchange came about an hour after the House prosecution panel presented Acosta as its first “hostile witness” in the impeachment trial.

After Acosta struggled to understand questions from private prosecutor Atty. Armando Virgil Ligutan, impeachment court presiding officer Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero allowed her to answer in Bisaya.

Tulfo, however, argued that having Ligutan and Escudero translate questions for Acosta was unnecessarily prolonging the proceedings.

“I know, Ms. Witness, you can understand. You can understand Tagalog. You can speak Tagalog based on these numerous pages. Why all of a sudden are you struggling?” Tulfo said.

Following Tulfo’s intervention, Escudero instructed Ligutan to stick to one language and translate questions only when requested by Acosta.

“Preferably use Filipino, Atty. Ligutan, because I’m sure you’re well-versed with it as well, so Ms. Gina can understand it better as well,” Escudero said.