Bishops urge Senate to try Sara Duterte without delay

MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has urged senators to swiftly convene as an impeachment court and try Vice President Sara Duterte without delay, saying that any foot-dragging of the trial would deny justice to both Duterte and the public.

The statement issued Tuesday, May 12, and signed by CBCP president and Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, came after the House voted to impeach Duterte for the second time and forwarded the articles to the Senate.

"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. He asked the chamber to summon witnesses, hear testimony and vote according to the evidence.

"To delay the trial is to delay justice for both the Filipino people and the Vice President," the statement said.

Garcera said a fair trial would help "restore our people's faith and confidence in our public institutions" and asked Filipinos to monitor the proceedings to guard against "misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation." 

The statement closed with a prayer to Our Lady of Fatima, whose feast falls on May 13.

"Our deep desire and fervent prayer is that we arrive at the truth through this constitutional process, with the hope that this will strengthen our respect for and adherence to the rule of law, a key pillar of a genuine and stable democracy," the statement read.

A Senate now led by a close Duterte ally

The bishops issued the appeal a day after Duterte-allied senators ousted Senate President Vicente Sotto III in a 13-9 vote and installed Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano in his place. 

Sen. Imee Marcos nominated Cayetano, and the 13 votes included Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, Bong Go, Robinhood Padilla, Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta — senators broadly aligned with former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Cayetano, who served as foreign secretary and later as House speaker under Duterte, will preside over the impeachment court. He has claimed the leadership change had nothing to do with the impeachment.

"The impeachment will be much, much more than dismissing a complaint because of political affiliation," Cayetano said after taking his oath. "It is also much, much more than convicting someone without evidence."

Sotto however told reporters he believed the impeachment was the reason he was removed.

A two-thirds vote — 16 of 24 senators — is needed to convict and remove Duterte. This would also bar her from the 2028 presidential race. 

Duterte needs only nine senators to acquit. 

The 13 who voted to install Cayetano already exceed that number.

This is the second impeachment Duterte has faced in just over a year. The Supreme Court struck down the first one, passed by the House in February 2025, on constitutional grounds, forcing lawmakers to file afresh. 

The new articles charge her with betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes, citing her use of confidential funds, unexplained wealth and a remark in which she said she had instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family if she were killed.