MANILA (Agencies): The Philippine House of Representatives voted to impeach vice president ,Sara Duterte, for a second time, reviving allegations of corruption and misconduct that could jeopardizs her expected 2028 presidential bid, LiCAS News reported on May 12..
The articles of impeachment accuse her of graft, corruption, bribery, unexplained wealth, misuse of public funds, and allegedly threatening the lives of president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady, Louise Araneta-Marcos, and former House speaker, Martin Romualdez.
“This is no longer just about politics. This is about conscience, duty and the future of our nation,” said representative, Bienvenido Abante, after the vote.
On May 12, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines bishops’ leadership urged that an impeachment court be immediately convened saying that delays would threaten justice, weaken democracy and erode public trust CBCP News reported.
The bishops stressed that senators must fulfill their constitutional duty by proceeding with the trial, hearing evidence and deciding the case based on truth, justice and the rule of law.
This is no longer just about politics. This is about conscience, duty and the future of our nation
Bienvenido Abante
“We make this urgent appeal to not delay the trial and to convene the Senate as an impeachment court at the soonest possible time,” said Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, president CBCP.
Earlier on May 7, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, the head of Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue, said, “At a time when citizens increasingly question the integrity of public institutions, the nation’s highest officials, especially those occupying positions of enormous public trust, must not exempt themselves from accountability,” RVA News reported.
Bishop Bagaforo urged the public to allow the impeachment proceedings against Philippine vice president, Sara Duterte, to proceed peacefully and constitutionally, stressing that accountability should not be feared in a democracy.
“Accountability is not political harassment. Justice is not destabilisation,” the bishop stressed. “They are the very foundations upon which public trust and national transformation are built.”
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Speaking for the InterReligious Leaders’ Council for National Transformation, he asked, “Why should anyone fear due process?” also noting that the Philippines continues to struggle with public distrust and perceptions of corruption.
Accountability is not political harassment. Justice is not destabilisation,. They are the very foundations upon which public trust and national transformation are built
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo
“If the vice president is truly innocent of the allegations raised against her, then this process becomes the proper and honourable avenue for her to clear her name and vindicate herself before the Filipino people,” he said.
The bishop cited the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, which warned that corruption worsens when democratic institutions are weakened and public officials evade scrutiny.
Bishop Bagaforo also cited the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which calls on governments to uphold integrity, accountability and transparency in public affairs.
He referenced Pope Francis’ encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, which warns against political cultures that weaken institutions and normalise corruption for the sake of power.
He also cited Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te, saying public officials must recognise accountability “not as a political attack to evade, but a moral obligation owed to the people they serve.”
If the vice president is truly innocent of the allegations raised against her, then this process becomes the proper and honourable avenue for her to clear her name and vindicate herself before the Filipino people
Bishop Bagaforo
The bishop urged government institutions, civil society groups and citizens to allow the constitutional process to unfold “peacefully, fairly, and transparently.”
Duterte and her allies have denied wrongdoing and described the impeachment efforts as politically motivated. Her supporters have also framed the proceedings as an attempt to destabilise her politically ahead of the 2028 elections.
According LiCAS News, Caritas-Philippines called on legislators to fulfill “one of their most important constitutional duties and responsibilities” by upholding transparency, accountability, and public trust in government.
“Our people have expressed their desire and hope that the vice president should face the charges against her in the impeachment complaint,” said Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, president of Caritas Philippines, who cited a March 2026 survey showing that 69 per cent of Filipinos support the impeachment process.
Bishop Alminazaa said the proceedings represent “a credible mechanism and process to hold our public officials accountable” and urged lawmakers to ensure “a fair and credible vote.”
