Courtesy: Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court (SC) has adopted revised procedures allowing greater use of technology and child-friendly measures in examining child witnesses to protect them from further trauma during court proceedings.
The SC En Banc approved the Revised Rule on the Examination of Child Witnesses (RRECW) on June 17, 2026, a decision released Wednesday.
Under the revised rule, courts may allow children to testify through videoconferencing from outside the courtroom and limit their exposure to the accused when appearing in person could cause them trauma, while preserving the accused’s constitutional right to confront witnesses.
If a child cannot testify in court or through videoconferencing because of a disability, health condition or other circumstances, the court may permit an electronically recorded deposition in the presence of the judge and lawyers for both parties.
The recording may be used in place of the child’s testimony at trial.
The rule also allows courts to admit a recorded interview conducted by a team of professionals, or its transcript, as evidence. This is intended to spare children from repeatedly recounting painful experiences and suffering further trauma.
Children may not be compelled to attend proceedings when sexually explicit materials are presented. Records that could identify them, including their social media accounts, must remain confidential. Violators may be cited for contempt of court.
Courts must also ensure that child victims of abuse receive therapy to support their recovery.
The revisions form part of the judiciary’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027, which seeks to promote timely, transparent, inclusive and technology-driven justice.
The SC said the changes reflect its commitment to making court proceedings safer for children while respecting the rights of all parties.