FOLLOWING a sudden change in leadership at the upper chamber, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) warned the Senate against any attempt to derail the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a strongly-worded statement, the CBCP urged the 24-member legislative body to convene the Senate as an impeachment court without delay, “to serve the common good in pursuit of justice and faith.”
“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,” reads the CBCP statement.
According to Archbishop Gilbert Garcera in his capacity as CBCP President, the elected senators are bound to abide by its mandate.
“We urge the Senators to avoid any act that may be perceived as evading their sworn duty or circumventing the requirements of the Constitution,” Garcera said.
Any delay, he noted, would mean depriving justice not just for the Filipinos but for the vice-president as well.
Members of the House of Representatives on Monday voted to impeach Duterte on allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes.
Of the lower chamber’s 318 congressmen, 257 members voted in favor of the impeachment against the vice president, 25 logged in negative votes, while nine legislators opted to abstain.
“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,” he averred.
The CBCP likewise urged the public to remain vigilant if only to protect the truth and integrity of public discourse and to strengthen the country against misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation.
“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.”
Previously, Senator Vicente Sotto III was ousted as Senate President. He was replaced by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who is known as a staunch ally and defender of the embattled vice-president.
