The prelates called on lawmakers to fulfill their constitutional duty after the House voted overwhelmingly to impeach Duterte a second time.
MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on May 12 urged the national senate to act swiftly on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte after the countryʼs House of Representatives impeached her for the second time.
“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,” CBCP President Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa said.
On May 11, the House of Representatives voted 257–25, with nine abstentions, to impeach Duterte for the second time, making her the first official in Philippine history to be impeached twice. The House forwarded the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate for trial.
“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. “You now have this opportunity to restore our peopleʼs faith
