Filipino bishops hit Senate for delaying VP Duterte’s impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Catholic bishops criticized the Senate for delaying the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is accused of misusing public funds and plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Duterte was expected to face trial at the 24-member Senate after she had been impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5. The Senate, however, rejected calls to immediately start the proceedings, prompting criticism from Church groups and activists over the past four months.

When the Senate finally convened as an impeachment court on Tuesday, a majority of the senators decided not to start the trial yet, but to return the impeachment complaint to the House of Representatives to settle legal questions. It was a move that resulted in even more protests.

In a statement hours before the impeachment court convened on Tuesday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the Senate’s duty to act on impeachment cases “is not optional.” Instead, it “is a solemn mandate arising from the principle of checks and balances enshrined in our democratic system.”

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the CBCP and bishop of the Diocese of Kalookan, emphasized the Church’s teaching “that political authority exists to serve the common good.”

“Public officials must transcend partisan interests and act in a spirit of justice and truth. The search for truth is not a political agenda; it is a moral imperative,” said David.

“We appeal to all senators, especially to those in leadership, to allow the constitutional process to proceed without obstruction. If there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear,” he added.

David, a 66-year-old biblical scholar, rose to national prominence nearly a decade ago for opposing the war on drugs waged by the Vice President’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. The Duterte patriarch is now detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague after the drug war allegedly resulted in up to 30,000 killings.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines, the biggest predominantly Catholic country in Asia, is known to speak out on political issues. At times, ecclesiastical involvement has even served as a game changer, as in the case of a Church-backed uprising that led to the downfall of dictator Ferdinand Edralin Marcos — the incumbent president’s father — in 1986.

Duterte’s impeachment prompted statements not only from the CBCP but also from individual prelates. One of those who released a separate pastoral letter was Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, one of the country’s most outspoken bishops.

Villegas, 64, was a private secretary of Cardinal Jaime Sin, who supported the 1986 uprising against the Marcos patriarch. During the Duterte presidency, Villegas, along with the likes of David, also opposed the war on drugs.

In the current political crisis involving the Vice President, Villegas said: “To delay the trial or even to abort it is to suppress the truth. It is a sin. The opponent, the devil, is rightly called Prince of Lies,” said Villegas, a former president of the CBCP.

“It is a sin to suppress or conceal the truth. The nation has a right to the truth that can only be established by law and evidence. To deprive the people of the full truth is a form of robbery. It is keeping something not yours. It is a sin,” the archbishop added.

For Villegas, aborting the trial even before it began was also “a sin against justice.”

“The trial by the Senate is a positive command of the Philippine Constitution. It is a demand of justice. It must be commenced, and it must continue to a just verdict. It is wrong to delay or abort it, according to no less than the framers of the Constitution itself. I add — it is sinfully wrong. It offends truth and justice,” he said.

“Procrastination is a form of laziness which leads to the neglect of responsibilities, tasks, or opportunities, which can be interpreted as a lack of diligence or commitment. The nation deserves better than such officials,” Villegas added.

Bishop Elias Ayuban Jr. of Cubao, in northern Metro Manila, also emphasized the need for the Senate to immediately start Duterte’s impeachment trial.

“To proceed with the trial forthwith is not a matter of choice but a constitutional mandate; an obligation, not an option,” said Ayuban, a canon lawyer.

Bishop Alberto Uy of Tagbilaran, in the central Philippines, said the impeachment issue “is deeply political in appearance” but, at its core, “is profoundly moral in nature.”

“If credible accusations are brought forth and yet are dismissed or delayed for political convenience, what message do we send to our people? That power protects its own? That accountability is optional?” Uy said.

“To remain passive in the face of controversy is not neutrality — it is abdication. By allowing the trial to proceed, the Senate demonstrates its relevance, its dignity, and its independence,” he added.

Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the CBCP, called for “a principled, urgent, and transparent approach” to Duterte’s impeachment.

“The impeachment trial must no longer be delayed. We call on our leaders to act with the highest sense of urgency. Let us be reminded that justice delayed is justice denied,” Caritas Philippines said in a statement.

The group said legal or political proceedings “must uphold truth and due process,” not merely “driven by partisanship or personal gain.” Their goal “must always be the welfare of the Filipino people, particularly the poor and the voiceless.”

“This is a time for moral courage, for institutions to stand firm in justice, and for citizens to raise their voices in peaceful, prayerful action. We must turn this national crisis into an opportunity for deeper civic engagement and democratic renewal,” Caritas Philippines said.