EDITORIAL: Uphold Integrity

IN a resounding chorus of constitutional fidelity, the legal academe—long considered the conscience of our nation’s democratic institutions—has spoken.

From the deans of five Ateneo law schools, to professors at the University of the Philippines, and from the University of Santo Tomas to De La Salle University, the message is clear and urgent: Proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

This is not a partisan demand. It is a call to protect the very integrity of our democratic system. As the Ateneo law deans underscored, public office is a public trust.

When questions arise that challenge that trust, the Constitution provides a clear and non-negotiable process: the Senate must conduct a trial. Accountability, they remind us, “cannot and should not be overridden by obfuscating technicalities.”

The proposal, acknowledged by Senator Bato Dela Rosa to have originated from his office, to declare the impeachment complaint de facto dismissed without trial, is a dangerous evasion of this responsibility. To dismiss the complaint without hearing the evidence not only short-circuits due process, it undermines the very principle that no one is above the law.

This is not merely about one official. It is about preserving the integrity of public service itself. As De La Salle University stated, “The impeachment process is not merely a political exercise; it is a sacred mechanism enshrined in the 1987 Constitution.” To suppress it is to corrode the foundations of accountability and the rule of law.

The University of Santo Tomas, in its brief but powerful statement, called on the Senate to fulfill its duty: “Respect the Constitution. Fulfill the duty. Forthwith proceed.” Its final word—Veritas, Latin for truth—underscores what is at stake. The public deserves clarity, not concealment. Integrity demands process, not evasion.

The Senate, when sitting as an impeachment court, is not merely a political body—it becomes a constitutional tribunal. In this role, it must be impartial, transparent, and committed above all to truth and justice, beyond party loyalties and personal alliances.

To uphold integrity is to stand by the Constitution even when it is inconvenient. The framers of our Charter designed impeachment as a vital safeguard—not a political weapon, but a process of accountability. That safeguard must not be disabled by delay or discarded by technicality.

The people are watching. So too are generations of future lawyers, civil servants, and citizens who must believe that in this Republic, the law reigns supreme.

Let the Senate rise to its calling. Uphold integrity. Let the trial begin.