MANILA, Philippines—The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) urged the Senate to proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines joins the public clamor for the Senate to proceed without further delay with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte," CEAP said in a statement.

"This is the constitutional imperative as affirmed by legal and constitutional experts. This is the moral imperative, to search for the truth, to defend the impeached, and to uphold the rule of law," it added. "This is also the democratic imperative, to protect our principles of due process, checks and balance, transparency, and public accountability."

Several universities earlier called on the Senate to start the impeachment trial.

Senate President Francis Escudero last week said that the plenary would have to decide whether to act on the Articles of Impeachment amid growing calls to begin the trial forthwith.

Source: The Manila Times.