Ateneo School of Gov’t, student councils join call for VP Sara impeachment trial

Faculty members and students from at least nine academic institutions are adding pressure on the Senate to immediately proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Among them is the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) which said that the senators have a "sacred duty” on the impeachment proceedings.

“The impeachment process is a sacred duty enshrined in our Constitution. It is the primary mechanism to ensure that our elected officials would remain faithful to their sworn duty to serve the public with dedication, commitment, and, most importantly, integrity,” ASoG said in a statement released on Saturday.

“We call on the Senate to fulfill its Constitutional duty and to proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte,” said ASoG.

ASoG’s statement came on the heels of San Beda University Graduate School of Law professors’ —including retired Supreme Court Associate Justices Adolf Azcuna and Jose Vitug, and graduate school dean Fr. Ranhilio Aquino— call for the Senate to hear the articles of impeachment against the Vice President. 

Meanwhile, over 100 members of the UP College of Law faculty called on the Senate to start the impeachment trial and "let the truth unfold."

In an open letter, the UP College of Law faculty members called on the Senate to comply with the constitutional duty to "forthwith proceed" with the trial.

“We raise our collective voice in strong condemnation of any and all efforts—covert or overt—to prematurely discard or obstruct the constitutional process of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte,” the Lasallian Family in the Philippines said in a statement.

The network of schools added that the impeachment process is not merely a political exercise but a sacred mechanism enshrined in the 1987 Constitution “to ensure that the highest public officials remain answerable to the people they serve.”

“Any attempt to suppress this process undermines the pursuit of truth, the very foundation of democracy, and the principle that no one is above the law,” they said.

They also reminded the senators of their duty as “guardians of the Republic’s integrity,” warning that cutting short the impeachment process will not only be a ''disservice to justice but also a betrayal of public trust.”

Student councils

Several student councils also joined the call for the impeachment trial to proceed.

The University of Santo Tomas Central Student Council called the allegations against Duterte a "blatant violation of public trust that must not go unexamined."

“Now more than ever, it is crucial to rise in collective action, defend our democratic institutions, and ensure that no public official is above the law,” the UST CSC said.

For its part, the Benilde School of Diplomacy and Governance said that the impeachment trial is not about partisanship but about “greater good prevailing over partisan politics and blind idolatry.”

Student councils from San Beda University, including its Senior High School unit, also stressed that delaying the trial is a betrayal of justice, transparency, and democratic integrity.

“We demand that [our lawmakers] put the interest of the Filipino people above political allyship and power,” the San Beda SHS Student Council said.

The PUP College of Political Science and Public Administration Student Council also warned, “Democracy doesn’t just die overnight—it’s chipped away by leaders who bend the rules, dodge accountability, and put loyalty over the law.”

'Not a matter of numbers'

The Philippine Law School Faculty, meanwhile, explained the constitutional basis for proceeding with this trial even with a change of Congress, clarifying that impeachment is a non-legislative function and that the Senate’s duty does not end with adjournment.

“A trial is not a matter of numbers; it is a matter of national integrity,” they said. “For in moments such as these, it is not comfort that history remembers, but conscience,” it said.

Philippine Law School Dean Jose Grapilon was among those who signed their statement.

In a similar call, the Philippine Political Science Association (PPSA) Board of Trustees urged the Senate “to fulfill its constitutional mandate by immediately commencing the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.”

“While impeachment is inherently political, it is first and foremost a constitutional mechanism for ensuring accountability among the country’s highest officials. In a functioning democracy, no public official, regardless of their popularity or political influence, is above scrutiny,” PPSA added.

19th Congress

The House impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. 

The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate the same day but the Upper Chamber adjourned without addressing the case.

On February 25, Escudero said the processes related to Duterte's impeachment trial would start on June 2.

However, Escudero on May 29 said the presentation of the articles of impeachment before the Senate was moved to June 11 to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the end of the 19th Congress. 

Escudero said that based on the law, Duterte will be given 10 days, or up to June 21, to respond, which could be extended upon her request. 

The 19th Congress is set to end on June 30.

Senator Francis Tolentino on Monday said the impeachment case against Duterte will be considered “functionally dismissed” if the Senate impeachment court is unable to finish the trial before June 30.

Asked if Duterte’s impeachment trial is considered dead or will be pushed through in the 20th Congress, Escudero said the senators will vote on the matter. 

Duterte was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

The Vice President has denied the allegations. —VAL/VBL, GMA Integrated News