MANILA. Vice President Sara Duterte.Photo from Inday Sara Duterte Facebook pagePublished on: May 09, 2026, 7:16 am
A united group of religious leaders has called on the public not to block and to support the conduct of an impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte. According to them, this is the most just path to bring out the truth.
In a statement on Friday, May 8, 2026, the Inter Religious Leaders’ Council for National Transformation (ILCNT) urged the public and concerned parties not to oppose the holding of an impeachment trial against Duterte.
“Accountability is not political harassment. Justice is not destabilization. They are the very foundations upon which public trust and national transformation are built,” said Bishop Colin Bagaforo, convenor of ILCNT.
Bagaforo added that the constitutional process must be allowed to proceed peacefully, fairly, and transparently. “We, therefore, urge all sectors — government officials, institutions, civil society, and ordinary citizens — to allow the constitutional process to unfold peacefully, fairly, and transparently. Let evidence be examined. Let truth emerge. Let justice prevail,” Bagaforo further said.
The bishop also directed his appeal to Duterte’s camp, stating that there is no reason to avoid the impeachment trial because it is the best way to prove the accusers wrong. If the Vice President is truly innocent, this process is the proper way to clear her name before the Filipino people.
According to Bagaforo, Duterte owes the public openness to accountability, especially now that more people are doubting the integrity of government institutions.
The plenary is expected to vote on Monday, May 11, on the report of the House Justice Committee containing the resolution for the articles of impeachment against the Vice President.
The ILCNT is composed of major groups such as the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Social Action-Justice and Peace, Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines, Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, and Manila Ecclesiastical Province School Systems Association. / Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines
