Camille Naredo

Civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan, ML Partylist, Magdalo, SENTRO Labor Center, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), and Akbayan Youth hold an indignation rally in front of the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on May 13, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan, ML Partylist, Magdalo, SENTRO Labor Center, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), and Akbayan Youth hold an indignation rally in front of the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on May 13, 2026. The protesters condemn the recent Senate coup that forced a change in leadership, which the coalition describes as a desperate attempt to block the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The groups also condemn the Senate leadership for protecting accused mass murderer Senator Bato Dela Rosa and are pushing for his immediate arrest.
Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP SARA IMPEACHMENT

Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177901863650420260513-senate-pro-impeachment-protest-JC7777.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan, ML Partylist, Magdalo, SENTRO Labor Center, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), and Akbayan Youth hold an indignation rally in front of the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on May 13, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/>Civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas, Akbayan, ML Partylist, Magdalo, SENTRO Labor Center, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), and Akbayan Youth hold an indignation rally in front of the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on May 13, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA—Several Catholic bishops and church leaders on Sunday publicly urged the Senate to immediately proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.In a statement, Caritas Philippines&#x27; Social Action Network warned that &quot;any delay would undermine the rule of law and delay justice for the Filipino people.&quot;A total of 165 bishops, priests, and church leaders nationwide signed the statement, backing the earlier call of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa for the Senate to convene as an impeachment court.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/12/cbcp-urges-senators-to-proceed-with-vp-sara-impeachment-trial-1234">READ: CBCP urges senators to proceed with VP Sara impeachment trial &#x27;at the soonest&#x27;</a></div>&quot;We appeal to the Members of the Senate to abide by what the Constitution directs: to proceed with the trial and adhere to the rule of law and serve the common good in the pursuit of justice and truth,&quot;the statement read.&quot;We make this urgent appeal to not delay the trial and to convene the Senate as an impeachment court at the soonest possible time. To delay the trial is to delay justice for both the Filipino people and the Vice President,&quot;it added.The House of Representatives last Monday <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/-2nd-eye-ok-house-impeaches-sara-duterte-again-1702">voted to impeach Duterte</a> for the second time in her term. Of the 316 House members, 257 voted in the affirmative.Caritas Philippines is the social action arm of the CBCP and serves as the Church’s nationwide network for humanitarian, justice, and social advocacy programs.Caritas Philippines president Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza, along with dozens of bishops and clergy from dioceses and archdioceses across the country, signed the statement.Prominent Church leaders in the Philippines, including Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy, Novaliches Bishop Roberto Gaa, and Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara, signed the statement.The Catholic leaders said recent developments in the Senate made it &quot;more important&quot;for Filipinos to remain vigilant in safeguarding democratic institutions and upholding the rule of law.&quot;To our fellow Filipinos, let us fulfill our civic duties and responsibilities by ensuring a fair and credible trial so that all may see and hear clear, verified evidence and arguments,&quot;the statement read.&quot;We must also remain vigilant in monitoring the proceedings. In this way, we uphold the truth, safeguard the integrity of public discourse, and strengthen our nation against misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation,&quot; it added.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/17/house-prosecutors-ask-senator-judges-exhibit-political-neutrality-1804">READ: House prosecutors ask Senator-Judges: Exhibit political neutrality in impeachment trial</a></div>Caritas Philippines also called on Filipinos, regardless of religion or political affiliation, to peacefully organize activities in support of truth, justice, and democratic accountability.The statement linked the impeachment issue to broader national concerns, including the alleged flood control corruption scandal, the International Criminal Court’s drug war investigation, the push for an anti-political dynasty law, and the economic impact of the Middle East conflict.&quot;We have been going through many challenges and crises the past years,&quot;the statement read, quoting the late Pope Francis: &quot;To come out better from a crisis, we must see clearly, choose well, and act right.”The church leaders likewise urged Filipinos to reject &quot;division, deception, hatred, and indifference&quot;and instead become &quot;a people formed by truth, guided by conscience, and united in love of God and country.&quot;

Several Catholic bishops and church leaders on Sunday publicly urged the Senate to immediately proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Several Catholic bishops and church leaders on Sunday publicly urged the Senate to immediately proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Church leaders, bishops back CBCP call to proceed with impeachment trial

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Church leaders, bishops back CBCP call to proceed with impeachment trial

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 17, 2026 07:55 PM PHT

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