ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte: Catholics are guided by the spirit of the "Oratio imperata"

Manila (Agenzia Fides) - " "There has been and continues to be a heated debate in the country following the postponement, in the Senate, of the vote on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. Public opinion seems to be divided. As an ecclesial community, following these political developments, we can affirm that our compass remains the common good. And the spirit with which we observe and assess this situation is that of the "Oratio Imperata" that we recited in Manila before the elections," Father Esteban Lo, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines, told Fides.
In that moment before the elections, Cardinal José Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, invited the faithful "to be open to a constant conversion toward truth, justice, and peace." Father Lo recalls several passages from the Oratio Imperata, in which one asks God: "Guide our nation in this time of crisis"; "Let the light of truth shine to guide us on the path to unity and peace"; "Let justice prevail and pave the way to healing and reconciliation."
Last February, the House of Representatives initiated impeachment proceedings against Sara Duterte on charges of embezzlement, bribery, and corruption with 215 of 306 votes. For the proceedings to proceed, the Senate must also vote on the matter.
Following the May 12 elections and the new composition of the Senate, a special impeachment court was established in the Assembly to consider the case and potentially conduct the trial of Vice President Duterte. However, on June 10, senators voted to refer the complaints to the House of Representatives for legal and procedural reasons, sparking protests from activists and public discontent. The spokesperson for the Senate impeachment tribunal, attorney Regie Tongol, rejected accusations of "buying time" and explained the necessary steps: the formal organization of the tribunal, the adoption of procedural rules, the issuance of a mandate to the House to resolve jurisdictional issues, the formal summons of Duterte, and the receipt of his defense attorneys and receiving the formal summons from the defense attorneys. At this stage, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, through a message signed by its president, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, urged the Senate to act, recalling that this is "a constitutional duty, not a political choice." According to the statement, the Church's intervention does not respond to partisan interests, but is rooted in Catholic social teaching, "which upholds truth, justice, and the common good." "The pursuit of truth is not a political option; it is a moral imperative. Let your conscience guide your actions. Let the truth take its course," the statement reads.
The Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Socrates Villegas, also warned that delaying the impeachment process "not only constitutes a political, moral, and spiritual failure on the part of public officials, but also a grave sin of omission against the common good," as it violates truth, justice, and the right of citizens to demand accountability.
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the largest network of Catholic educational institutions in the country, has joined the call, urging the Senate not to delay the process, which it called "a constitutional, moral, and democratic imperative." (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 18/6/2025)

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