DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 14 May 2026) — The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Tuesday appealed to members of the Senate to “not delay the trial” of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte by convening the Senate as an impeachment court at the soonest because delaying the trial will “delay justice for both the Filipino people and the Vice President.”
It urged Senators to proceed with the impeachment trial as mandated by the Constitution and 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.”
Dated May 12, the statement, titled “Serve the Common Good in the Pursuit of Justice and Truth” and signed by CBCP President and Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, came a day after the House of Representatives, by a vote of 257-25-9, impeached the Vice President and transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.
The CBCP said the House of Representatives heeded “the overwhelming sentiment of the Filipino people.”
It urged the Senators to avoid any act that may be perceived as evading their sworn duty or circumventing the requirements of the Constitution.
“You now have this opportunity to restore our people’s faith and confidence in our public institutions that adhere to the rule of law and serve the common good in the pursuit of justice and truth,” the CBCP said.
It also called on “our fellow Filipinos” to “fulfill our civic duties and responsibilities by ensuring a fair and credible trial so that all may see and hear clear, verified evidence and arguments.”
It urged the public to be vigilant in monitoring the proceedings, to “uphold the truth, safeguard the integrity of public discourse, and strengthen our nation against misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation.”
The CBCP expressed its desire and fervent prayer “that we arrive at the truth through this constitutional process, with the hope that this will strengthen our respect for and adherence to the rule of law, a key pillar of a genuine and stable democracy.”
It also asked Our Lady of Fatima, whose feast day is on May 13, “to pray for our leaders, our nation, our Church, and our people.” (MindaNews)
