J – Judge

COC – Clerk of Court

CI – Court Interpreter
P – Prosecutor (Public)
PP – Private Prosecutor (not People of the Philippines for purposes of this “script”)
PC – Private Complainant
D – Defense Counsel
A – Accused
W – Witness
[Notes shall be in brackets]

[During arraignment and pre-trial kasi under the rules on continuous trial magkasunod ito].
J: Call the case.

COC: (Reading the Court Calendar)

J: Appearances. [Sometimes di na ito nababanggit kasi yung mga abogado matik na.]

P: For the prosecution, Your Honor.

PP: Good… I am Atty. … appearing as private prosecutor under the direct control and
supervision of the Honorable Public Prosecutor. Ready, Your Honor. [Meron lang ito
kung may private prosecutor, kung wala, si piskal ang magsasabi ng “Ready, Your
Honor.”]

D: For the accused, Your Honor, ready for arraignment.

P: Full authority, Your Honor, is given to the private prosecutor to actively prosecute this
case. [Same as above, sasabihin lang ito kapag may private prosecutor].

J: Are the parties here? [Minsan wala na din itong question na ito, formalities lang this].

COC: The parties are all present, Your Honor. [Tatawagin names nila tapos pinapatayo
yung A at PC. Siyempre mag-iiba yung script kapag may missing party].

J: Arraign the accused.

A: (Pupunta sa harapan).

CI: (Reading the Information in the language known and understood by the accused).
[COC ata talaga dapat ito pero madalas dinedelegate na sa CI kasi before the
hearing, si CI nagtatanong na iyan kay A kung ano yung mas naiintindihan nilang
language].

CI: (Spoken in the language known and understood by the A) What is your plea, guilty or
not guilty?

A: Not guilty, Your Honor. [Kung nagsasalita ng English yung A, diretso na sagot
niya pero kung hindi, interpret pa ito ni CI at sasabihing: *see next line*]

CI: The accused pleaded not guilty to the offense charged, Your Honor.

[Alternate scenario: A pleaded guilty.]

CI: The accused pleaded guilty to the offense charged, Your Honor.

J: Promulgate the judgment. [Kasi usually nasasabihan na ang court ahead of time
kung magpi-plead guilty yung accused dahil upon pleading guilty diretso promulgation of
judgment].

D: May we pray that only the dispositive portion be read, Your Honor. [Dispositive
portion yung “Wherefore” part ng decision/judgment kasi mahaba pa kung ibabasa yung
kabuuan ng judgment].

J: Read only the dispositive portion.

COC: (Reading the dispositive portion) Wherefore…

D: May we pray that the … [Dito na part magpi-pray si Atty. kung anong gagawin sa
bail bond ng accused kung may piyansa, pwedeng apply sa fine kung fine ang parusa or
gamitin pa rin as bond for continued provisional liberty kung may planong mag-file ng
whatever during the 15 days before finality ng judgment].

J: Order. …

[During Pre-trial proper, sa MTC and other 1 st level courts, si Judge na nagpe-preside sa pre-trial which
also includes the preliminary conference, sa RTC, pwede mag-prelim con before the COC. Research niyo
na lang difference ng preliminary conference sa pre-trial conference, halos pareho lang yun pero sa pre-
trial dapat laging before the judge. Dahil sa 1st level court ako, iyon ang setting natin dahil mas alam ko
siya haha].

J: Ready for pre-trial?

PP: Yes, Your Honor. [From here on out, nood-nood na lang si Piskal, pwede siya
mag-add later kung bet niya pero for the most part, chill-chill na lang siya. TAKE NOTE:
Kung walang private pros, kay Piskal tong mga lines na ito.]

D: Yes, Your Honor.

{Part 1 of PT proper}

J: Stipulations or admissions for the prosecution?

PP: Proposed for admission is the identity of the accused as the same person as charged
and arraigned today, Your Honor. [Recitation na lang ito ng mga nasa
pinaghandaan niyang pre-trial brief. Yang identity of the accused ang pinaka-common na
ini-stipulate at naa-admit. TAKE NOTE ULIT: address everything to the judge kahit na si
opposing counsel ang mag-aadmit or deny.]

D: Admitted, Your Honor. [Pwede i-deny ang identity, in which case, during the
trial, the prosecution must establish the identity of the accused. Bihira mangyari kasi
identity of the accused lang naman ina-admit eh, meaning: the defense admits that the
accused is the person who was arraigned and the same person being charged but it does
not mean that they are admitting that the accused committed the crime being charged].

[Alternate Scenario: If the defense will only admit the identity of the accused ang magiging line niya ay:]

D: Only the identity of the accused is admitted, Your Honor. No other stipulations or
admissions will be entertained. [Tapos diretso na sa part 2: marking of exhibits].

PP: The time and place of the commission of the crime alleged in the Information, Your
Honor. [Kung hindi nag-manifest ang defense na identity lang ang ina-admit
nila, tuloy si prosecution sa pag-recite ng nasa list niya. Usually, sa admissions or
stipulations na sinasabi lahat ng factual admissions na pwedeng ipa-admit para di na
need i-prove. Things not admitted which are essential to the elements of the crime as
well as jurisdictional requirements would still need to be proven in open court during
trial.]

D: [Defense may admit or deny. Diretso ito hanggang matapos ang listahan. Dito din pwede
ipa-admit ang authenticity and due execution of documentary exhibits like the Police
Reports, Medical Certificates, etc. para di na kailangan pa na mag-present ng witness to
identify the contents of the documentary exhibit, otherwise, include as witness yung
issuing authority].

PP: No more stipulations for admission on the part of the prosecution, Your Honor.

J: Stipulations or admissions for the defense?

D: The defense prays that the following be admitted, Your Honor… [Siya naman ngayon
ang magbabasa ng listahan niya kung meron man siyang gustong ipa-admit sa
prosecution].

PP: [Prosecution may admit or deny, mostly deny. Diretso din ito hanggang matapos ang
nasa listahan ng accused.]
D: The defense has no other stipulations for admission, Your Honor.

[Alternate Scenario: Walang stipulation or admission si accused].

D: The defense has no stipulations for admission, Your Honor.

{Part 2 of PT proper}

J: Evidences to be marked for the prosecution.

PP: Yes, Your Honor, may we pray that the following be marked as our exhibits, Your
Honor: as Exhibit “A” – the Sinumpaang Salaysay [or Judicial Affidavit kung meron] of
the private complainant; Exhibit “B” – the Sinumpaang Salaysay [or Judicial Affidavit
kung meron] of Witness 2 [the lettering of the exhibits will be adjusted accordingly
depending on how many witnesses the prosecution will present. Observation lang:
there’s no need to present a lot of witnesses in open court, what is important is that the
witnesses presented sufficiently established the elements of the crime charged. Each
witness presented in court must be presented with one common goal, to strengthen the
evidence against the accused and weaken the possible defenses that may be brought
forth by the accused. Hindi ito paramihan ng ebidensya, pabigatan.]; Exhibit “C” – the
Affidavit of Arrest of Police Officer… [kung meron]; Exhibit “D” – is the Police Report,
Your Honor, dated … with Entry No …; Exhibit “E” – the Medical Certificate dated …
issued to … by … Hospital [kung necessary]; Exhibit “F” – [kung ano pa ebidensya meron
ka like pictures, etc.]; and as Exhibit “G” which we reserve for marking are the receipts
incurred by the private complainant for his/her medical treatment [and other related
expenses including funeral expenses lalo kung na-tegi yung victim. Same with civil
procedure, reservation of the exhibits are allowed provided that the exhibits are
sufficiently described and the purpose is stated or can be deduced]. That will be all,
Your Honor.

J: Defense:

D: On the part of the accused, may we pray that the following be marked as our
documentary exhibits, Your Honor: Exhibit “1” – the Judicial Affidavit [or Sinumpaang
Kontra Salaysay or Counter Affidavit] of the accused; as Exhibit “2” – the Judicial
Affidavit [or Sinumpaang Salaysay] of Witness 2 [kung meron]; Exhibit “3” – [all other
exhibits na meron si accused to prove his or her innocence, etc]. That is all for the
accused, Your Honor.

[Alternate Scenario: Walang exhibit to be marked si defense, siguro wala pang JA si accused. Pwedeng
walang JA si accused during the pre-trial conference kasi usually lalo pag PAO client, matigas ulo nila
ayaw nilang magpunta sa PAO ahead of their time for hearing kaya di sila nagagawan ng JA agad. Anyway,
pwede din na hindi kasi i-mark as Exhibit ang JA dahil hindi siya documentary evidence, testimonial
evidence siya, pero kung meron naman na kasi sa record yung document, eh di i-mark na lang.]

D: The defense has no documentary exhibits to mark, Your Honor.

{Part 3 of PT proper}

J: Witnesses for the prosecution?

PP: (Recitation of witnesses to be presented). No more, Your Honor.

J: Defense?

D: On the part of the defense, we are presenting the accused himself/herself. That is all,
Your Honor. [This is kung accused lang ang witness na meron sila, kung may iba pa,
banggitin lahat bago sabihin na “That is all, Your Honor”].

{Part 4 of PT proper}

J: Trial dates?

PP: The prosecution prays for [number of witnesses] trial dates, Your Honor.

D: [Number of witnesses] trial dates for the defense, Your Honor.

COC: (Checks the court calendar and sets the dates).

{Part 5 of PT proper}

[This is the part kung saan mag-mamanifest yung mga abogado kung may iba pa silang concern regarding
pre-trial. Minsan dito din yung part na nire-refer ni judge yung parties sa Philippine Mediation Center for
court-annexed mediation kung mediatable yung case.]

J: The issue is whether or not the accused is guilty as charged. Since there are no other
matters to be taken up, pre-trial conference is terminated. The court shall issue a pre-
trial order within ten (10) days. So, ordered. [Kung may off the record na habilin si judge
dito na yun sinasabi, kunwari sasabihin niya na i-try ng mga abogado na tulungan mag-
settle yung mga clients nila but case to case basis yun, usually pero kung magkamag-
anak tina-try ipag-settle].

[Presentation of evidence. Mauuna ang prosecution. Ang flow ng pag-present ng evidence ay: Direct
Examination -> Cross Examination -> Re-direct Examination -> Re-cross examination. Except for direct
examination, pwedeng i-waive ang lahat, like cross examining the witness or pwedeng wag nang mag-
redirect or re-cross. Kung anong mga dapat itanong at yung manner ng pag-conduct ng examination,
paki-hanap sa rules of court or kung isa ka sa mga matatapang na nilalang, paki-tanong sa evidence
professor niyo. Under the judicial affidavit rule, mas mabilis na ang pag-present ng witness sa direct
exam.]

J: Call the case.

COC: (Reading the Court Calendar)

P: For the prosecution, Your Honor. [Kung walang written authority si Piskal para sa
private prosecutor, kailangan nandoon pa rin siya during trial].

PP: Same appearance as private prosecutor under the direct control and supervision of the
Honorable Public Prosecutor. Ready, Your Honor. [Meron lang ito kung may
private prosecutor, kung wala, si piskal ang magsasabi ng “Ready, Your Honor.”]

D: For the accused, Your Honor.

P: Full authority, Your Honor, is given to the private prosecutor to actively prosecute this
case. [Same as above, sasabihin lang ito kapag may private prosecutor. Pagka-
bigay niya ng authority, pwede na actually siyang umuwi kung wala na siyang ibang
case].

J: Ready to present your witness? [Pwedeng wala na itong part na ito, depende
kay judge kasi nagsabi naman na si PP na “ready” nung start].

PP: Ready, Your Honor.

J: Present your witness.

PP: Yes, Your Honor, we are calling to the witness stand …

J: Swear in the witness.

CI: (In a language known and understood by the witness) Do you swear to tell the truth and
nothing but the truth. So, God help you.

W: Yes, Your Honor.

CI: (Asking the personal circumstances of the witness, such as: name, age, civil status,
educational attainment, employment/nature of work, address) Ready, Your Honor,
ready, sir/ma’am.

PP: The testimony of the witness is being offered to prove the … and all other relevant
matters. May we proceed, Your Honor. [Offer of testimony. Wag na wag kalimutan ito or
else pwedeng masayang lahat ng efforts niyo.]

J: Proceed.
PP: Mr./Madam Witness, are you… [establish the identity of the witness and the connection
to the case].

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

PP: In relation to this case, do you remember having executed a (Judicial Affidavit or a
Sinumpaang Salaysay)/?

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

PP: If that JA/SS was shown to you, will you be able to recognize the same?

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

PP: I am showing to you the JA/SS of one (1) (state the name of the witness), can you go
over the same and tell this Honorable Court if that is the same JA/SS you are referring
to?

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

PP: On the (last page/page number/bottom of the page) there is a name (state the name)
and on top of it is a signature, whose name and signature appears on this JA/SS,
Mr./Madam Witness?

W: My name and signature, sir/ma’am.

PP: And this is in (state the language) [stating the language may be omitted], did you
read this document before signing it, Mr./Madam Witness?

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

PP: Did you understand the contents of the allegations in this document before signing the
same?

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

PP: Now, do you confirm and affirm the truthfulness and veracity of all the allegations
contained in this document?

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

PP: Your Honor, may we pray that this document, the JA/SS, identified by the witness be
marked as our Exhibit “…” [Follow the marking during pre-trial] and that the name
and signature of the witness be bracketed and marked as Exhibit “…-1”
[pwedeng hindi i-bracket and mark ang name and signature. Some don’t do it,
some do, siguro depende na sa abogado yun. At this point, pwede na i-end ng piskal or
PP ang direct examination, or kung may additional points, need pa ulit i-manifest].

J: Mark them.

CI: (Marking the exhibits).

PP: May we be allowed to ask additional direct questions, Your Honor?

J: Proceed.

PP: Mr./Madam Witness, you said in paragraph … of your JA/SS “(read quote)”, (ask the
relevant question)? [usually nagkakaroon ng additional direct questions kapag may
gustong i-clarify or may kulang doon sa JA/SS na nabanggit yung witness after magawa
ng SS/JA. Minsan qualification din ito para sa questions related to damages. During the
additional direct question, pwede din ipa-identify yung iba pang mga documents lalo na
yung mga pictures kung meron. Similar sa JA, kailangan i-adopt/i-maintain ang markings
na ginawa during pre-trial. Bakit kailangan i-adopt or i-maintain ang markings ng exhibits
kung nagawa na sa pre-trial? Dahil hindi final ang markings during pre-trial, pwedeng
magkaroon ng tinatawag na re-marking lalo na kung may bagong document na ima-mark
dahil nag-appear lang ito during the trial at in-allow ni judge at hindi in-objectan ni
opposing counsel. Minsan ito yung mga drawings na ginawa sa court na mismo dahil
magulo mag-explain si witness at nalilito na ang lahat sa mga direksyon nila sa buhay.]
W: [Witness will usually answer in a “yes or no” manner, except when the question allows
the witness to answer in a more narrative format, but, as the lawyer asking the question
be mindful not to let your witness give a very long answer especially during direct
examination, doing so would give the opposing counsel an opening to attack during
cross examination, tapos mahihirapan ka na i-control yung isasagot ng witness sa cross.]

[Q and A format continues until ma-tackle lahat ng gustong ma-clarify or kulang sa JA/SS. Kung kumpleto
naman na yung JA/SS, usually after ipa-identify sa witness, end of direct examination na.]

PP: That is all, Your Honor.

J: Cross?

D: Cross, Your Honor. May we proceed?

J: Proceed.

D: Mr./Madam Witness, you stated earlier that “quote the relevant statement”, am I
correct? [Preliminary question, leading questions are allowed sa cross
examination. Leading questions are not allowed in direct unless bata yung witness or
other exceptions pero general rule, sa cross lang pwede mag-leading questions. Ano ba
ang leading question? Tanongin ulit si Evidence prof, or google na lang para mas safe.]

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

D: Will you agree with me then that …? [this question is a follow up doon sa first
question, dito na itatanong kung ano yung main point, usually this is the part where the
lawyers discredit the earlier statement of the witness.]

W: [Yes or no lang talaga sagot dito pero madalas may tendency ang witness na mag-
explain. Turuan ng maigi ang witness niyo, wag masyado mag-explain sa cross
examination kasi baka ipa-strike off the record yung answer. Be vigilant during cross
examination, yung mga question na may tendency mag-explain ang witness ang mga
question na dapat itatanong niyo sa re-direct examination. Sa re-direct, madalas mas
lenient na ang both counsels sa pag-litanya ng witness. This is a case to case basis pero
ha, if you want to be a litigation lawyer, study different trial techniques, walang one size
fits all sa trial techniques dahil iba-iba ang mga witnesses kaya dapat maging diverse ang
approach.]

[Continue lang sa Q an A until wala nang maitanong si opposing counsel dahil satisfied na siya at butas-
butas na yung credibility ng witness mo. Either that or give up na siya dahil hindi matinag si witness.]

D: Mr./Madam Witness, will you agree with me then that you have no personal
knowledge of the as to the (state facts and circumstances regarding the case).
[Madalas ito tinatanong sa mga pulis na nag-record ng police blotter kasi nga
nireport lang sa kanila at hindi sila yung actual na nakakita or nakarinig ng pangyayari].

W: Yes, sir/ma’am.

D: No more questions for the witness, Your Honor.

J: Re-direct?

PP: Some points, Your Honor. May we proceed?

J: Proceed.

PP: Thank you, Your Honor.

PP: Mr./Madam Witness, you were asked earlier about … (referencing a question
propounded by the opposing counsel during cross exam), can you please tell us what
you meant by “(referencing the answer of the witness)”?

W: [Dito na, kapag ganyan ang tanong, it’s your time to shine na kay witness, pwede na
siyang mag-kwento ng kanyang ganap sa buhay pero dapat kahit kwento, hindi dapat
masyadong malayo ang nararating, dapat connected pa din sa tanong or else, ipapa-
strike out ulit iyan.]
[Q and A portion ulit hanggang sa lahat ng questionable topics during cross examination ay ma-cover ni
re-direct para balik credibility ulit si witness.]

PP: We are through with the witness, Your Honor. [Sabihin mo lang ito kapag wala
ka na talagang itatanong pa dahil once na mag-end ang redirect examination, that is it.
You are done with your questions at ipapasa-Diyos mo na lang kung may hindi ka
naitanong na importante na tanging ito witness lang na ito ang makakasagot dahil hindi
ka na papayagan na magtanong ulit after ng re-cross. Sa rebuttal ka na ulit magtanong,
kung papayagan ka.]

J: Re-cross?

D: Re-cross, Your Honor. May we proceed?

J: Proceed.

D: [Same with cross examination but this will cover the questions asked during re-direct.
Dito na itatanong ng counsel ang mga katanungan na magpapagulo sa explanation na
binigay ng witness during re-direct, dito nila hinuhuli ang mga butas sa kwento at mga
kasinungalingan na pwedeng sinasabi ng witness para lang mapalakas yung ebidensya na
meron yung kampo ng witness na iyon].

W: [Answer only the questions asked. Kung witness ka, manindigan ka sa pinagsasabi mo,
kung pinili mong magsinungaling sa korte, galingan mo na hindi ka mahuhuli dahil kapag
ikaw ay nahuling nagsinungaling, maaari kang sampahan ng kasong perjury or contempt
of court. Good luck na lang sayo. Kung alam mo naman na hindi totoo yung sasabihin mo
eh di, wag ka na mag-witness. Witness ka nga di ba? Eh di dapat na-witness mo talaga
yung ganap, may alam ka, hindi haka-haka lang.]

[Q and A portion ulit hanggang sa matapos naman si counsel sa mga katanungan niya sa buhay].

D: No further questions for the witness, Your Honor.

J: Hearing continues on?

COC: (State the date of the next hearing).

J: Order.

[Other Notes]

[Minsan, hindi na umaabot sa re-direct or re-cross. Kung wala nang ibang katanungan, ang sasabihin lang
kapag tinanong ay: “No re-direct/re-cross, Your Honor.” And that’s it, next hearing na kayo ulit magkikita-
kita. Kapag walang re-direct obviously wala ding re-cross.]

[Common objections na natatandaan ko:

Leading – sinasabi during direct dahil bawal nga sa direct examination ang leading questions.

Misleading – self-explanatory.

Not part of the cross – sinasabi ito kapag re-direct at ang nagsasabi nito ay yung counsel na nag-conduct
ng cross examination.

The witness is incompetent – meaning no personal knowledge si witness sa tinatanong. Usually yung
counsel ng witness ang magsasabi nito during cross exam kapag ang tanong eh tungkol
sa state of mind or kung anong iniisip ng accused eh si accused lang naman makaka-
sagot sa tanong na iyon.

Marami pang iba. Search na lang kayo.]

[Minsan magtatanong din si judge ng questions lalo na kung hindi direct to the point si attorney sa
questions niya. Clarificatory questions from the judge ang tawag doon. Pag nagtanong na si judge ng
ganito, medyo ayus-ayusin mo na pagtatanong mo kasi trabaho mo dapat iyon bilang abogado pero si
judge na gumagawa ng trabaho mo. Minus points ka sa presentation niyan. Pero wag kang mag-alala
based on evidence pa rin naman silang lahat kapag dating na sa decision.]

[Whether prosecution or defense evidence, same lang ang format nila].

[After ng presentation of evidence whether prosecution or defense, the counsel would rest the case by:

1) formally offering the exhibits by stating the exhibit and the purpose of the exhibit. Pwede oral or
written ito. Then the opposing counsel will manifest (kung oral ang formal offer) or file (kung
written ang formal offer) the comment or objection to the exhibits formally offered
2) after the formal offer, judge will rule on the exhibits kung admitted ba lahat or may denials
3) the counsel would then say: “With that, Your Honor, I rest my case.”
4) Judge will issue an order afterwards. Kung presentation of the prosecution ang nag-rest na case,
sa order na ito ise-set yung trial date ng defense. Kung defense ang nagre-rest ng case, kasama
sa order na iyon na submitted for judgment na yung kaso.]