Posts

Showing posts from December, 2011

Obscenities in Court Opinions: Some Thoughts

Obscenities in Court Opinions: Some Thoughts             There is a disturbing trend in recent Supreme Court decisions that needs to be immediately addressed.   In a number of cases involving the crime of rape, the word “fucked” appears many times either as part of the stenographic notes of the direct examination of the complainant or in excerpts of the trial courts’ decisions under review.   The word is used as a translation of the complainant’s testimony describing an alleged rape.             The word first appeared in 1983 in the case of People v. Banasen , and since then has appeared in seventeen other decisions.   In these decisions, the word appeared forty-four different times.   The most recent decision is a May 2011 ruling.   The following are the cases: People of the Philippines v. Domingo Banasen, G.R. No. L-55487, December 21, 1983. 2 People of the Philippines v. Jessie Mayoral , G.R. Nos. 96094-95, November 13, 1991. 1 Peo