Marilyn Cahatol

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. File PhotoVice Presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. share a light moment with Archbishop Socrates Villegas during a visit in Dagupan City, Pangasinan province on 13 February 2016. (Voltaire Domingo/NPPA IMAGES)

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174944944314920160213-villegas-socrates-nppa.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. File Photo </span></span></span>MANILA — Lingayen, Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said Monday that delaying the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could be considered a suppression of the truth, which he said was &quot;a sin.&quot; </div><p>Villegas, who previously headed the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the nation &quot;has a right to the truth that can only be established by law and evidence.&quot; </p><p>&quot;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,&quot; Villegas said in a statement. &quot;To deprive the people of the full truth is a form of robbery. It is keeping something not yours. It is a sin.&quot;</p><p>&quot;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,&quot; he said.</p><p>Villegas added that procrastination &quot;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.&quot; </p><p>&quot;The nation deserves better than such officials,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/7/analysts-academe-among-growing-voices-vs-delay-in-vp-sara-s-impeachment-trial-1557">Analysts, academe among growing voices vs delay in VP Sara&#x27;s impeachment trial in Senate</a></div><p>The 1987 Constitution requires that &quot;trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed&quot; once articles of impeachment are transmitted, but that also happened just as Congress went on break for the elections.</p><p>The articles of impeachment were supposed to be read in the Senate on June 2, but it was moved by Senate President Francisco “Chiz” Escudero to June 11, the last session of the 19th Congress before it adjourns. </p><p>Escudero on Monday said he would not listen to those who were rushing the commencement of the impeachment trial. </p><p>&quot;Sino mang pabor sa impeachment o kontra sa impeachment, sino mang pabor kay VP Sara o kontra sa kanya hindi ko papakinggan gagawin ko kung ano ang tama, ang nararapat at naaayon sa Konstitusyon at batas at ayon sa aming tingin,&quot; Escudero told reporters. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/9/chiz-says-won-t-listen-to-those-rushing-sara-duterte-trial-1355">Chiz says &#x27;won&#x27;t listen&#x27; to those rushing Sara Duterte trial</a></div><p>There is growing pressure from several senators, the academe, civil society groups, and political analysts, who have urged the Senate to &quot;forthwith proceed&quot; with the trial of Duterte.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/9/hontiveros-to-formally-request-the-opening-of-sara-duterte-trial-1205">Hontiveros to formally request the opening of Sara Duterte trial</a></div><p>The calls came after what they said were months of delay in conducting the trial and after a draft resolution — which Duterte ally Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa had admitted initiating —  dismissing the impeachment case of the vice president circulated on social media.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s defense team said they were ready to defend the Vice President despite questioning<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/9/sara-duterte-defense-team-says-ready-to-confront-charges-in-trial-1140"> &quot;serious constitutional infirmities&quot; </a>in the impeachment complaints. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uvq7q-xT3_4?si=4Qp-2arMDi-En-a7" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Lingayen, Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said Monday that delaying or dropping the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could be considered a suppression of the truth, which he said was "a sin."</p>

Lingayen, Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said Monday that delaying or dropping the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could be considered a suppression of the truth, which he said was "a sin."

Archbishop Villegas on Sara Duterte impeachment trial delay: Suppressing truth is 'a sin'

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Archbishop Villegas on Sara Duterte impeachment trial delay: Suppressing truth is 'a sin'

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 09, 2025 02:44 PM PHT

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Lingayen

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Father Soc

Sara Duterte

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