CBCP urges senators not to delay Duterte impeachment trial

National

SENATORS should not delay the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to prevent denying justice to both the country’s second-highest ranking government official and the public.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued this statement after the House of Representatives voted to impeach Duterte last Monday, May 11.

"We urge the Senators to avoid any act that may be perceived as evading their sworn duty or circumventing the requirements of the Constitution," read the statement issued and signed by CBCP president and Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera on Tuesday, May 12.

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

Garcera said a fair trial would help "restore our people's faith and confidence in our public institutions."

The CBCP also asked Filipinos to monitor the proceedings to guard against "misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation."

A prayer to Our Lady of Fatima, whose feast falls on May 13, ended the statement.

"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.(MyTVCebu)