A Philippine bishop urged the public to allow impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte to move forward, saying democratic accountability should not be dismissed as political persecution.
Bishop Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan said the ongoing process must be viewed as part of the country’s constitutional system, especially at a time of declining public trust in government institutions.
“Impeachment is not persecution. It is a constitutional and democratic process designed precisely to ensure that public officials entrusted with immense power remain accountable to the people,” Bagaforo said in a May 7 statement issued on behalf of the InterReligious Leaders’ Council for National Transformation.
Bagaforo, who heads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue, said the proceedings “should not be feared nor prematurely condemned.”
“If the Vice President is truly innocent of the allegations raised against her, then this process becomes the proper and honorable avenue for her to clear her name and vindicate herself before the Filipino people,” he said.
The bishop linked the issue to broader concerns over corruption, political patronage, and weak democratic institutions in the Philippines.
Citing the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index released by Transparency International, Bagaforo said the country continues to face “persistent concerns regarding corruption, abuse of power, political patronage, and weak accountability mechanisms.”
He also pointed to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which identifies transparency, integrity, and public participation as foundations of democratic governance.
“At a time when citizens increasingly question the integrity of public institutions, the nation’s highest officials — especially those occupying positions of enormous public trust — must not exempt themselves from accountability,” Bagaforo said.
“Rather, they should lead by example in upholding justice and allowing lawful processes to proceed without obstruction or intimidation,” he added.
The bishop also cited Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti, which warns against political cultures that weaken institutions and normalize corruption for the sake of power.
“Good politics combines love with hope and with confidence in the reserves of goodness present in human hearts,” the document states.
Bagaforo likewise referenced Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te, saying it calls for “moral courage, integrity, and responsibility in public life” in societies struggling with corruption and declining public trust.
He urged government officials, civil society groups, and citizens to allow the impeachment process to proceed “peacefully, fairly, and transparently.”
“Let evidence be examined. Let truth emerge. Let justice prevail,” he said.
