By Gabriel Kim Leal
(June 9, 2025) – Two Roman Catholic bishops have condemned the delays in the Senate on the impeachment trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, with one prelate calling the moves to stall or abort it as a sin.
In a pastoral letter on Monday, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said that delaying the trial, when “motivated by selfish ambition and the prioritization of personal desires, gratification and comfort,” is a sin and “smacks of negligence and laziness.”
“To delay the trial or even to abort it is to suppress the TRUTH. It is a sin,” said Villegas. “The opponent, the devil, is rightly called Prince of Lies. It is a sin to suppress or conceal the truth
The Archbishop joined mounting calls for the Senate to proceed with the trial immediately.
“The trial by the Senate is a positive command of the Philippine Constitution. It is a demand of justice,” added Villegas.
Over the past week, several schools and organizations have pressed the Senate to immediately begin the impeachment trial of Duterte. This, amid disagreements among senators and reports of a draft resolution seeking to block the proceedings altogether.
ALSO READ: Schools, orgs urge Senate to start VP Sara’s impeachment trial
On Sunday, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Caritas Philippines also called on lawmakers to act with urgency.
“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,” said Bagaforo, as quoted by the CBCP News.
Duterte is accused of multiple offenses, including constitutional violations, bribery, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust. She was impeached by the House of Representatives last February, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint.
Senate President Chiz Escudero initially scheduled the trial to begin on June 2 but later moved it to June 11, a move legal experts, fellow senators, and constitutionalists have called a violation of the 1987 Constitution.
The Constitution mandates that once the articles are transmitted, the Senate must “forthwith proceed” with the trial.
(CMZ)
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