The deans of Ateneo/Xavier university system yesterday joined the call for the Senate to proceed with the long-delayed impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a joint statement dated June 8, 2025, the deans from the Schools and Colleges of Law in the Ateneo/Xavier University system—including Manila, Davao, Cagayan, Naga and Zamboanga—collectively called for the immediate start of the trial and its continuation in the 20th Congress.
“We adhere to the time-honored principle that public office is a public trust that must be faithfully respected and protected in the name of the sovereign Filipino people,” they said, urging senators to uphold constitutional processes and respond to its ‘moral duty’ as public servants.
“As advocates of the rule of law, we submit to the supremacy of the Constitution as the fundamental law of the land. As such, faithful obedience to the constitutional mandates is requisite and mandatory; hence, not discretionary and optional. It is what we have all subscribed to when we ratified the Constitution. It is what we are being called to observe and obey now,” they added.
The Adamson community echoed similar appeals in a joint statement signed by its president and other high-ranking officials. They urged members of the Senate to “rise above political expediency and to perform their constitutional duty with integrity and transparency.”
“This is not the time for neutrality or passive observation; this is the time for principled leadership and decisive action. Do what is right instead of what is convenient for you… You have procrastinated far too long. The nation is watching. Honor your oath… You owe this to the Filipino people,” they added.
The University of Santo Tomas, meanwhile, released a simple social media graphic to get their message across. “Respect the Constitution. Fulfill the duty. Forthwith proceed. Veritas,” it said, referring to the highly anticipated impeachment trial of the Vice President.
The De La Salle University (DLSU) earlier released its own political stand, condemning “any and all efforts—covert or overt—to prematurely discard or obstruct the constitutional process” of holding Duterte accountable for allegedly mismanaging public funds, among other serious charges.
“We remind our Senators—both the 19th and the incoming 20th Congress—of their constitutional duty to act as impartial stewards of justice, especially in matters involving accountability of public officials,” the LaSallian Family said in a statement dated June 6, 2025.
“They are not mere spectators to political expedience; they are guardians of the Republic’s integrity. The least they can do is to assure the Filipino people that the rule of law prevails, even when political pressures mount,” the DLSU community added.
The latest statements add to the growing number of academic voices urging the Senate to act on the impeachment. Lawyers and professors from the University of the Philippines College of Law, San Beda University Graduate School of Law, and other institutions have earlier issued similar appeals.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “‘Obey the law, put VP Sara on trial:’ Deans, academics from top unis urge senators”
