Philippine bishops urge swift Senate impeachment trial of VP Duterte

May 12, 2026

The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines today urged the nation’s Senate to proceed swiftly with an impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a 257-25 vote, the House of Representative impeached Vice President Duterte yesterday on charges of misuse of funds and threatening to kill the president.

“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,” Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa said today on behalf of the nation’s bishops.

“We urge the Senators to avoid any act that may be perceived as evading their sworn duty or circumventing the requirements of the Constitution,” Archbishop Garcera continued. “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.”

Archbishop Garcera made his remarks against the backdrop of last year’s impeachment of the vice president, in which the nation’s Senate declined to hold a trial and the Supreme Court declared the impeachment unconstitutional.

Located in Southeast Asia, the Philippines (map) is the 13th most populous nation in the world. The nation of 120.1 million is 90% Christian (69% Catholic), 6% Muslim, and 2% ethnic religionist.

 

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Further information:

• Bishops urge Senate to swiftly open VP Duterte impeachment trial (CBCP News, 5/12/26)
• CBCP statement on the impeachment of the Vice President (5/12/26)
• Sara Duterte, Philippine Vice President, Is Impeached, Again (The New York Times, 5/11/26)