CenPEG Statement on the Senate's Archiving of Impeachment Complaint

PRESS RELEASE

 August 7, 2025

A Betrayal of Public Accountability and Constitutional Duty

— Chairperson Prof. Roland G. Simbulan

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses grave concern over the Senate’s decision to archive the impeachment complaint—an act we view as a direct betrayal of the public trust and a subversion of the Senate’s constitutional duty.

This decision to shelve the complaint without transparent and thorough deliberation represents a deliberate retreat from the Senate’s role as a constitutional check on executive abuse. It sends a disturbing message: that the most serious allegations of official misconduct can be neutralized through procedural technicalities, rather than confronted with resolve, integrity, and moral courage.

The impeachment process is not a political tool to be manipulated at will. It is a mechanism embedded in the Constitution to protect the Republic from impunity, and to ensure that no public official—no matter how powerful—is beyond scrutiny and accountability.

This action by the Senate erodes the principles of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance. By choosing silence over investigation, the Senate disenfranchises the people and weakens public confidence in our institutions.

As Chairperson of CenPEG, I call on the Filipino people, civil society organizations, and all democratic forces to remain vigilant. We must demand that our institutions fulfill their duty, and that the truth be neither silenced nor buried.

Democracy does not only die in darkness—it also dies in the silence of institutions that choose to look away.

For reference:

Prof. Roland G. Simbulan

Chairperson, Board of Trustees

Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)