The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is urging the Senate to fulfill its constitutional responsibility in addressing the impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP president, on Tuesday said the Senate’s role in impeachment proceedings is a “solemn mandate” and not a matter of political convenience.
He emphasized that the Church’s call does not stem from partisan interests but is grounded in Catholic social teaching, which upholds the truth, justice, and the common good.
“The search for truth is not a political agenda; it is a moral imperative,” David said in a statement. “Let conscience guide your actions. Let the truth take its course,” the prelate said in a statement published on the CBCP’s official newsletter.
While acknowledging that impeachment is both a political and quasi-judicial process, David said it must be guided by principles of accountability and integrity.
“To delay, dismiss, or ignore such a process for reasons of political convenience is to betray the Constitution and the people’s trust,” said David, who is also the bishop of Kalookan.
“As stewards of public office, senators are not only answerable to the law but are also bound in conscience to act with integrity and impartiality,” he added.
The cardinal appealed to all senators, especially those in leadership positions, to allow the constitutional process to proceed without obstruction.
Citing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, the CBCP head reiterated that political authority must transcend political interests and serve the common good.
David pointed out that it apparently took a formal motion from the chamber’s minority to nudge Senate President Francis Escudero into taking his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court, an event preceded by multiple delays.
“When politics serves only partisan interest, it degenerates into manipulation. But when it is guided by conscience and the common good, it becomes a noble service,” he said.
