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MANILA, Philippines — After schools and universities, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), composed of Catholic bishops across the country, joined the growing call to proceed with the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a statement released Tuesday, June 10, CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David said the Senate’s duty to act on impeachment cases is "not optional," but a "solemn mandate" rooted in the principle of checks and balances essential to a democratic system.
“While impeachment is by nature a political and quasi-judicial process, it is not exempt from the moral demands of truth, justice, and accountability. In a constitutional democracy, political authority must be exercised within the bounds of law and with respect for the truth,” David said.
“When politics serves only partisan interest, it degenerates into manipulation; but when it is guided by conscience and the common good, it becomes a noble service,” he added.
The CBCP president warned that delaying, dismissing, or ignoring the impeachment process for political convenience would betray both the Constitution and the public's trust.
He added that as stewards of public office, senators are accountable not just to the law but are also bound by conscience to act with integrity and impartiality.
On June 9, after much delay since the articles of impeachment were transmitted to the Senate from the House of Representatives, Senate President Francis Escudero took the oath as the presiding officer of the impeachment court.
The senators, who will be senator-judges of the impeachment court, are expected to take their oaths on Tuesday.
Delay of the impeachment is a sin. Other bishops also called on the Senate to proceed with the impeachment trial.
In separate statements, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, Cubao Bishop Elias Ayuban, and Caritas Philippines President Bishop Jose Bagaforo urged the Senate to move "forthwith" with the proceedings.
For Villegas, the delay or abortion of Duterte’s impeachment trial is "wrong" and "a sin" against truth and justice.
“When motivated by selfish ambition and the prioritization of personal desires, gratification and comfort, the delay of the process of pursuing the truth is a sin,” Villegas, the former president of the CBCP, said in a statement on Monday, June 9.
“It smacks of negligence and laziness. Not to pursue the truth when you have the capacity to know it forthwith is a grave sin of omission. It is morally unacceptable,” he added.
Villegas added that procrastination is a form of laziness leading to neglect of responsibilities, asserting that "the nation deserves better than such officials."
Ayuban also emphasized proceeding immediately with the impeachment process, saying that it is not a matter of choice but an obligation.
Meanwhile, Bagaforo called on the Senate to have the “moral courage.”
“Let this be a time for our leaders to show moral courage, for our institutions to stand firm in justice, and for all citizens to demand accountability rooted in compassion and truth,” Bagaforo, who leads the social arm of the CBCP, said in a statement.
“The impeachment trial must no longer be delayed. We call on our leaders to act with the highest sense of urgency,” he added.
How other sectors of the Catholic Church reacted. Before the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) released its statement, several Catholic organizations and institutions had already issued their own calls, urging the Senate to proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, especially amid reports that some senators were pushing for its dismissal.
In a statement, the Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines (CMSP), which is composed of leaders of religious institutes, orders and congregations, also called on the Senate to move forward with the trial.
The group is set to lead a protest in front of the Senate on July 9, 10 and 11.
Aside from the CMSP, Catholic universities run by religious orders also issued their respective statements.
On June 8, Ateneo de Manila University and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) released their respective statements, followed by De La Salle University (DLSU) and the San Beda Graduate School of Law on July 6.
UST, the oldest Catholic university in Asia, is administered by the Dominican Order, while DLSU is run by the De La Salle Brothers.
Both religious orders are headed by Filipinos: the Dominicans are led globally by Dominican priest Gerard Francisco Timoner III, and the De La Salle Brothers by former Education Secretary Armin Luistro.
Meanwhile, Ateneo is run by the Jesuits—the same religious order to which the late Pope Benedict XVI belonged—and San Beda is administered by the Order of St. Benedict.
Duterte’s impeachment complaints. Duterte is facing impeachment proceedings after the House of Representatives endorsed seven articles of impeachment against her, alleging questionable conduct and a series of serious offenses.
The formal complaint includes accusations that Vice President Sara Duterte issued death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and that she publicly expressed intentions of violence toward the president.
She is also charged with the misuse of over P254 million in confidential funds, allegedly through fabricated expenses and questionable payments—some of which were flagged by the Commission on Audit.
Additional allegations include the bribery of former Department of Education officials through monthly cash payments, the accumulation of unexplained wealth totaling P2 billion not disclosed in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, and alleged links to extrajudicial killings attributed to the Davao Death Squad during her tenure as Davao City mayor.
The articles of impeachment further contend that she incited sedition and political instability by sowing division within the government, and claim that her term has been marked by gross abuse of power and betrayal of public trust.
