The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Tuesday urged senators to fulfill their constitutional mandate and promptly convene an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte.
The appeal comes a day after the House of Representatives voted to impeach Duterte for a second time in a 257-25 vote with nine abstentions.
In a statement, the religious coalition appealed to the upper chamber to avoid any actions that could be perceived as circumventing the Constitution or evading its sworn duty.
"We appeal to the Members of the Senate to abide by what the Constitution directs: to proceed with the trial and to decide the case against the Vice President by summoning witnesses, hearing testimony, and voting according to the evidence and, above all, the demands of righteousness and justice," the CBCP stated.
The letter, signed by CBCP President Archbishop Gilbert A. Garcera, stressed the urgency of the proceedings.
"We make this urgent appeal to not delay the trial and to convene the Senate as an impeachment court at the soonest possible time," the statement read. "To delay the trial is to delay justice for both the Filipino people and the Vice President."
The bishops also called on the public to fulfill their civic duties by remaining vigilant and monitoring the proceedings to ensure a fair and credible trial. Doing so, the CBCP stated, will "uphold the truth, safeguard the integrity of public discourse, and strengthen our nation against misinformation, disinformation, and manipulation".
The CBCP reminded the Senate that the trial serves as a crucial chance to restore the people's trust in the government.