An activist group accused the Philippine Senate and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of betraying the public trust by sabotaging the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a statement released on June 2, the Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) condemned what it called the Senate’s “continued delay and nonchalance” in acting on the Articles of Impeachment, which were transmitted over three months ago.
“This deliberate inaction is a betrayal of the public trust and an affront to the people’s clamor for accountability and justice,” the group said.
The group said the Constitution obliges the Senate to promptly convene as an impeachment court once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted by the House, but accused the chamber of deliberately ignoring this duty to protect Vice President Sara Duterte from accountability.
MAT accused the Senate of complicity in “undermining the rule of law and perpetuating impunity at the highest levels of government.” The group also placed blame on President Marcos, calling him a key actor in stalling the process.
“This inaction is not just a failure of the legislative branch—it is a coordinated betrayal of the people’s trust, fueled by the complicity of President Marcos himself, who has repeatedly doused cold water on the impeachment process both in Congress and the Senate,” it said.
The group claimed that President Marcos’ actions have encouraged efforts to shield Vice President Duterte from accountability, alleging that the administration is determined to suppress the truth and obstruct justice.
MAT called on the Senate to “immediately constitute itself as an impeachment court and begin the trial of Vice President Duterte without further delay.”
“This process must be carried forward into the 20th Congress until justice is served,” it added. “The time to act is now. The people are watching, and history will judge those who choose to stand on the side of impunity over accountability.”
