CALLS to start impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte began to snowball over the weekend, with academics, civil rights and religious groups skewering the Senate for not doing its constitutional duty.

Reacting to a resolution circulated by Duterte ally Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa to dismiss the impeachment complaint, the Ateneo School of Government said, "Dispensing the case without the benefit of a trial is a dereliction of duty and a clear attempt to whitewash the accusations raised against a public official."

"We call on the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty and to proceed with the impeachment trial," the school said, calling the impeachment process a "sacred duty" enshrined in the Constitution.

"It is the primary mechanism to ensure that our elected officials would remain faithful to their sworn duty to serve the public with dedication, commitment, and, most importantly, integrity. We remind our senators that they are public servants and their mandate is based on the people's trust. We pray that they would remain true to what the Senate institution stands for: upholding the Constitution, promoting democratic values, and serving the national interest," the school added. "Convene the impeachment court now."

On Friday, the Ateneo Human Rights Center issued a similar statement, saying that the Senate is undermining the Constitution with the delays to the proceedings.

"We remind the Senate: It is accountable to the people and to the Constitution. It must fulfill its constitutional mandate and proceed, without further delay, with the impeachment proceedings of Vice President Sara Duterte," the human rights center said.

"It must be stated plainly: by deliberately delaying the impeachment proceedings, the Senate is failing in its constitutional duty. This is not merely a matter of scheduling. It is a matter of accountability, of constitutional integrity, and of the Senate's credibility as an institution," it added.

The De La Salle University also condemned delays to the impeachment proceedings.

"We remind our senators — both on the 19th and the incoming 20th Congress — of their constitutional duty to act as impartial stewards of justice, especially in matters involving the accountability of public officials. They are not mere spectators to political expedience; they are guardians of the republic's integrity. The least they can do is to assure the Filipino people that the rule of law prevails, even when political pressures mount," the university said.

"We call on the Senate to allow the impeachment process to proceed with fairness, transparency, and due diligence, guided by truth and a deep sense of patriotic responsibility. To cut short this process is not only a disservice to justice but also a betrayal of public trust," they added.

Senate President Francis Escudero has come under fire for delaying Duterte's impeachment proceedings, which were to start this month.

An unsigned resolution calling for the dismissal of the impeachment complaint without a trial circulated among some senators. Dela Rosa later admitted the drafts came from him.

The Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC) of the Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP) condemned Escudero and senators allied with Duterte, claiming that the Senate's "deliberate delay" in the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte is obstructing the constitutional process for political purposes.

"When truth is delayed, justice is denied," the group said. "Escudero has allowed the Senate — once a respected institution of statesmanship and public service — to be turned into a playground for partisanship."

The CMSP, which represents the collective voice of religious superiors across Catholic congregations in the country, said it could no longer remain silent as "the law is being manipulated and the truth distorted."

The commission emphasized that while it does not endorse any political party or candidate, its position stems from a moral and spiritual responsibility to speak out against injustice.

"To remain silent in the face of corruption is to participate in sin," the group warned. "To ignore the manipulation of truth is to turn our backs on the Gospel."

The impeachment case against Vice President Duterte, filed earlier this year, involves serious allegations, including misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth, conspiracy to commit murder, and betrayal of public trust.

The House of Representatives transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate in early February, but the upper chamber has yet to act on them. Escudero recently postponed the reading of the articles of impeachment — originally set for June 2 — to June 11, citing legislative priorities ahead of Congress' scheduled June 13 adjournment.

The religious group criticized the delay as a tactic to derail accountability.

The CMSP-JPIC also directly addressed Duterte, calling on her to face the proceedings. "A true leader does not evade accountability. If you are innocent, prove it under the light of law and truth."

"Do not let deception win," the commission said, urging the public to remain vigilant and engaged. "Do not believe that honesty is useless. Do not lose hope in our nation's future."

Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Church, issued a strong statement urging transparency, urgency, and moral courage in response to the growing calls for the impeachment of Vice President Duterte.

In a statement released on Saturday, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, D.D., president of Caritas Philippines, called on the country's leaders to handle the impeachment process with "utmost integrity and respect for upholding the rule of law."

"The impeachment trial must no longer be delayed," said Bagaforo. "Let us be reminded that 'justice delayed is justice denied.'"

Echoing the organization's long-standing commitment to social justice through its Alay Kapwa legacy, the bishop emphasized that any legal or political action must prioritize truth and due process and not be driven by partisanship or personal agendas.

Caritas Philippines also urged public officials and institutions to exhibit "moral courage" and uphold the values of justice and good governance. The statement was both a call to action for lawmakers and a moral appeal to the broader public to stay engaged in the country's political developments.

"We call on everyone to remain vigilant, discerning, and united in prayer — that this chapter in our nation's journey may lead us closer to genuine peace, good governance, and a more just society for all," Bagaforo said.

Meanwhile, Akbayan party-list President Rafaela David on Saturday welcomed statements from one incoming and three incumbent senators, in particular Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson and Sens. JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian and Jinggoy Estrada, in supporting the Senate convening as an impeachment court to try Vice President Duterte.

David said she lauded the four in "affirming their constitutional responsibilities."

"We welcome the statements of Senators Lacson, Ejercito, Gatchalian, and Estrada. We hope more senators will follow suit, alongside Senators Risa Hontiveros and Koko Pimentel. Their stand is a timely reminder that duty must transcend partisanship. The Senate is not just a chamber of legislation; it is a tribunal of accountability when the Constitution so demands," she said.

The opposition party-list, which topped the party-list elections this year, emphasized that "the process must not be dismissed as a mere political distraction or postponed due to congressional transitions."

"Constitutional duty does not expire with the closing of a Congress. The call to uphold public trust does not take a vacation. Once the House transmits the articles of impeachment, the Senate must respond, not as politicians, but as impartial judges," David said.

She added that the constitutional mandate is "not about political numbers but about carrying out one's duty without delay" and that anything less than that is a betrayal of public trust and the Constitution.

David, however, criticized statements made by Sens. Francis Tolentino and Dela Rosa, with Tolentino declaring that the impeachment process was already "de facto dismissed" with the adjournment of the 19th Congress.

"Senator Bato says the impeachment is dead. He should be more cautious when issuing 'death certificates,' especially when he himself may soon be summoned to answer for a trail of corpses before the International Criminal Court," David said.

"As for Senator Tolentino, who wrongly insists that the impeachment cannot cross over to the 20th Congress — truth be told, if there's anything that won't be crossing over, it's not the impeachment. It's Tolentino himself, who was soundly rejected by the people in the last elections," she added.

Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña was among the first petitioners who filed an impeachment complaint against the vice president.

But a close friend and ally of the vice president, Sen. Imee Marcos, said the former president's allies and some senators might prefer to dismiss the case to avoid any potential embarrassment during a Senate trial.

Marcos, President Marcos' sister, indicated that certain groups within the administration seem to be quietly working to suppress the complaint.

"I believe there are factions within the administration suggesting that it shouldn't go forward, as it could lead to embarrassment due to the numbers," she remarked, pointing out that this opinion extends beyond just the "Duterte 5" in the Senate.

The senator emphasized her concerns about the implications of a full-blown impeachment trial, particularly if it resulted in a public defeat for the administration.

"Isn't it more difficult, more embarrassing, if the trial pushes through and ends in a loss?" she said underscoring the anxiety surrounding a potential acquittal for Duterte.

Marcos said she has received multiple drafts of resolutions to dismiss the impeachment complaint.

While acknowledging that Dela Rosa had admitted to authoring one version, she clarified that it is a "joint effort" among senators.

"Many drafts are being shown to us.... The one released to the media was probably the third," she said.

Source: The Manila Times.