May sign language interpreter sa Barangay, police stations, hukuman at sa iba pang sangay

ng pamahalaan

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | April 9, 2022

Dear Chief Acosta,

May kababata ako na inireklamo sa Barangay dahil po sa simpleng alitan lamang nila ng kanyang kapitbahay. Sa totoo lang po, napakabait ng kababata kong ito kaya’t hindi ko rin mawari na may nagreklamo laban sa kanya. Gayunpaman, hinaharap niya ang sumbong. Ang tanong ko lamang po, wala po bang uniform medium of communication para sa mga may kapansanan? Deaf-mute po kasi ang kababata ko. Pangamba ko po kasi ay baka madehado siya sa prosesong kinahaharap niya sa ngayon. Sana ay mapayuhan n’yo ako.

Boying

Dear Boying,

Sa bisa ng Republic Act (R. A.) No. 11106, o mas kilala bilang “The Filipino Sign Language Act,” ipinatutupad ang pagkakaroon ng pamamaraan ng komunikasyon para sa ating mga deaf na kababayan. Ito ay ang Filipino Sign Language. Nakasaad sa Section 3 ng R. A. No. 11106 ang sumusunod:

“Section 3. Filipino Sign Language as the National Sign Language. - Filipino Sign Language, hereinafter referred to as FSL, is hereby declared as the national sign language of the Philippines. The FSL shall be recognized, promoted, and supported as the medium of official communication in all transactions involving the deaf, and as the language of instruction of deaf education, without prejudice to the use of other forms of communication depending on individual choice or preference.”

Para sa mga deaf na partido sa reklamo, kaso at iba pang legal na proseso, tulad ng inyong kababata, sinisiguro ng batas na makatatanggap sila ng patas na proseso. Ang isa sa mga paraan upang makamit ito ay ang mabigyan sila ng sign language interpreter hindi lamang sa hukuman, kundi pati na rin mula pa lamang sa imbestigasyon sa police stations, sa Barangay at sa iba pang sangay ng pamahalaan. Malinaw na nakasaad sa Section 6 ng nasabing batas ang sumusunod:

“Section 6. Filipino Sign Language in the Justice System. - The FSL shall be the official language of legal interpreting for the deaf in all public hearings, proceedings, and transactions of the courts, quasi-judicial agencies, and other tribunals. To ensure effective access to justice for the deaf on an equal basis with others and to facilitate their effective role as direct and indirect participants in the legal system, courts, quasi-judicial agencies, and other tribunals are hereby mandated to ensure the availability of a qualified sign language interpreter in all proceedings involving the deaf, without prejudice to the right of the deaf to choose other forms or modes of communication, if they so prefer.

For purposes of this Act, "hearings, proceedings, and transactions" shall include those in police stations and before the Lupong Tagapamayapa of the Katarungang Pambarangay, as well as preliminary investigations and other initial stages in the courts, quasi-judicial bodies, and other tribunals.

The Supreme Court and other concerned agencies shall promote appropriate training for those working in the administration of justice, including hearing interpreters, deaf relay interpreters, and other court personnel, police and prison staff. Support staff shall also be trained in translation from FSL to written English or Filipino. x x x” (Binigyang-diin)

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang inyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na inyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng inyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.