FIVE Ateneo law schools and colleges released a joint statement on June 8 calling for the immediate commencement of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The statement came from the deans of Ateneo de Davao University College of Law, Ateneo de Naga University, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Ateneo de Manila University, and Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
The deans urged the Senate to begin the impeachment trial and continue the process into the 20th Congress, citing constitutional and legal obligations.
“We confirm that as Jesuit, Filipino, and Catholic legal educational institutions, we are deeply committed in our teaching and formations teaching to truth, justice and the rule of law,” the statement reads.
The deans said their call to proceed with the trial is rooted in “faithful obedience to the Constitution,” which they described as the foundation of their guiding principles.
They pointed out the importance of a fair, impartial, and speedy trial, asserting that it would uphold accountability in public office while respecting due process.
They also emphasized that once the trial begins, it must be conducted “beyond political colors and affiliation,” urging the Senate to remain impartial and nonpartisan to preserve the Constitution’s due process guarantees.
The deans described their position as a moral and spiritual duty aligned with their role as educators and formators of future Ateneo lawyers.
Signatories of the statement were Dean Manuel Quibod of Ateneo de Davao University, Dean Domnina Rances of Ateneo de Naga University, Dean Sylvia Jo Sabio of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Dean Jose Maria Hofileña of Ateneo de Manila University, and Dean Corazon Montemor of Ateneo de Zamboanga University.
