Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas called out the delay in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, noting that such a move is a "suppression of truth. It is a sin."

“To delay the trial or even to abort it is to suppress the truth. It is a sin. The opponent, the devil, is rightly called Prince of Lies,” he said in a statement posted on Monday.

“To abort the trial even before its delayed commencement is deplorable. It is a sin against justice,” Villegas added.

“The trial by the Senate is a positive command of the Philippine Constitution. It is a demand of justice. It must be commenced and it must continue to a just verdict. It is wrong to delay or abort it, according to no less than the framers of the Constitution itself. I add- it is sinfully wrong. It offends truth and justice.”

The presentation of the articles of impeachment has been moved from June 2 to June 11.

In a letter to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Escudero said the Senate and the House of Representatives needed to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die on June 14.

On Monday, Escudero maintained that the Senate will fulfill its constitutional duty but not based on the timeline of others.

“Sino mang pabor sa impeachment o kontra sa impeachment, sinumang pabor kay VP Sara o kontra sa kanya, hindi ko papakinggan. Gagawin ko kung ano ang tama, nararapat, at ayon sa Konstitusyon at batas ayon sa aming tingin. Kung ano ang tama,” he said.

(I will not listen to anyone who is in favor or against the impeachment, anyone who is in favor or against VP Sara. I will do what is right, appropriate, and according to the Constitution and the law as we see it. I will do what is right.)

Further, Villegas said that such delay is a form of laziness.

“When motivated by selfish ambition and the prioritization of personal desires, gratification and comfort, the delay of the process of pursuing the TRUTH is a sin. It smacks of negligence and laziness. Not to pursue the truth when you have the capacity to know it FORTHWITH is a grave sin of omission. It is morally unacceptable," he said.

“Procrastination is a form of laziness which leads to the neglect of responsibilities, tasks, or opportunities, which can be interpreted as a lack of diligence or commitment,” Villegas added.

On Monday evening, Escudero took his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court in the trial. After the senators take their oaths at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the court would be constituted but not yet convened. — BAP, GMA Integrated News

Source: GMA Network.