Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Monday strongly urged the Senate to push through with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, warning that delaying the process would be a moral failure and a disservice to truth and justice.
“To delay the trial or even to abort it is to suppress the TRUTH. It is a sin,” Villegas said in a Facebook post. He emphasized the moral weight of the issue, calling out dishonesty and deception: “The opponent, the devil, is rightly called Prince of Lies.”
Citing biblical passages, Villegas reminded the public that truth is sacred. “Christ is the TRUTH (John 14:6). The Lord is the God of Justice (Isaiah 30:19). His will is our fullness of life (John 10:10).” He said failing to pursue the truth when one is capable is “a grave sin of omission” and “morally unacceptable.”
The Archbishop’s remarks come amid mounting public pressure for the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty. Various civil society groups and universities have echoed the same call, with advocacy group Tindig Pilipinas leading a three-day prayer vigil from June 9 to 11 in support of the trial.
Senate President Francis Escudero earlier rescheduled the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment from June 2 to June 11 to allow time for other legislative priorities. While resisting external pressure, Escudero said, “I will do what is right, proper, and in accordance with the Constitution and the law.”
But Villegas did not hold back in criticizing any delays. “Procrastination is a form of laziness,” he said, arguing that putting off the trial betrays a lack of commitment to public duty. “The nation deserves better than such officials,” he added.
Villegas closed his statement with a call for the Senate to honor the demands of the Constitution and the people by ensuring that the impeachment trial continues “to a just verdict.”
