CBCP: To delay impeachment trial is to delay justice to Filipinos and the VP

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) released on Tuesday, May 12, a statement urging the Senate to start the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte without delay..\

The statement was issued a day after the Lower House of Congress overwhelmingly impeached the Vice President and approved the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.

The following is the statement of the CBCP.

Serve the Common Good in the Pursuit of Justice and Truth

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.John 8:32

To our dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The House of Representatives, heeding the overwhelming sentiment of the Filipino people and finding probable cause, has voted by far more than the requisite one-third of its membership to impeach the Vice President and, as directed by the Constitution, to forward the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate for trial.

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.

We urge 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.

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.

To our fellow Filipinos, let us 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.

We must also remain vigilant in monitoring the proceedings. In this way, we uphold the truth, safeguard the integrity of public discourse, and strengthen our nation against misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation.

Our deep desire and fervent prayer is 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.

We ask Our Lady of Fatima, whose feast we celebrate on May 13, to pray for our leaders, our nation, our Church, and our people. Please join us in prayer and action.

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines:

(Sgd) + Most Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera, D.D. Archbishop of Lipa, President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines