The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a formal appeal on Tuesday, calling on the Senate to fulfill its constitutional mandate by immediately convening as an impeachment court to hear the case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The bishops warned against any maneuvers that might be perceived as an evasion of duty, reminding legislators that the 1987 Constitution provides a clear directive once articles of impeachment are transmitted from the House of Representatives.
“We appeal to the members of the Senate to abide by what the Constitution directs: To proceed with the trial and to decide the case against the Vice President by summoning witnesses, hearing testimony, and voting according to the evidence and, above all, the demands of righteousness and justice.”
The statement follows a significant leadership shake-up in the upper chamber, where Senator Alan Peter Cayetano unseated Vicente “Tito” Sotto III as Senate President.
While Cayetano has denied that the reorganization was intended to stall the proceedings, the CBCP emphasized that the integrity of the process depends on swift action.
“We make this urgent appeal to not delay the trial and to convene the Senate as an impeachment court at the soonest possible time. To delay the trial is to delay justice for both the Filipino people and the Vice President.”
Urging the public to remain vigilant, the church leaders noted that citizen monitoring is essential to “uphold the truth” and protect the national discourse from “misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation.”