MANILA, Philippines — Filipino religious superiors condemned the Supreme Court ruling that blocked the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, yet another twist in the Philippines’ worst political crisis in years.

The Supreme Court on Friday declared as unconstitutional Duterte’s impeachment at the House of Representatives, which meant that her impeachment trial at the 24-member Senate can no longer proceed.

The court — which is dominated by appointees of the Vice President’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte — decided by a unanimous vote of 13-0. The justices said the House of Representatives violated a rule that only one impeachment complaint can be filed against any impeachable official within a one-year period.

The Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines (CMSP), through its commission on justice, peace, and integrity of creation, said that this decision was “a blatant betrayal of the people’s trust and a mockery of our democratic institutions.”

The CMSP said the Supreme Court, through “a supreme betrayal” of the Filipino people, “chose silence over scrutiny, technicalities over transparency, and impunity over integrity.” “It has failed in its solemn duty to be the last bastion of justice,” the religious superiors said.

The court only “deepened the growing perception that the law no longer serves the poor and the powerless, but protects only those with influence, pedigree, and proximity to power,” the CMSP added. “The timing, the rationale, and the implication of this decision reek of complicity and cowardice.”

“We refuse to stand idly by while justice is trampled and truth is twisted. We remember the silence of institutions during past dictatorships and the price our people paid. Never again must the Church be complicit through silence or cowardice,” the CMSP said.

“As consecrated persons, we are called to be watchmen of truth, defenders of the poor, and disturbers of unjust peace. The Gospel demands it. The people cry for it. History will judge us by it,” it added.

Duterte, 47, was accused of misusing public funds and plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., her former ally.

She had been impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, and was awaiting trial by the 24-member Senate. The nearly six-month delay in her Senate impeachment trial had already been criticized by church leaders, including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Had she been convicted by the Senate impeachment court, the Vice President would have been removed from office — another blow to the Duterte family while their patriarch, Rodrigo Duterte, is detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The Vice President’s critics, however, vowed to continue holding her accountable, even as plans are under way to appeal the Supreme Court ruling.

The CMSP called for a “peaceful, prophetic resistance.” “Do not let power go unchecked. Do not let justice be mocked,” the group said.

The religious superiors then reminded their fellow Church leaders that “now is not the time for caution” but “the time for courage.”

“To the Filipino people: do not be afraid. Our hope is not in the powerful, but in the God who casts down the mighty from their thrones and lifts up the lowly (cf. Luke 1:52),” they said, quoting the admonition from the Book of Micah (6:8) “to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

“Let us walk together as pilgrims of hope, not in denial, but in defiance of darkness. Let us walk as a Church not of the powerful, but of the poor and the prophetic,” they added.

The CMSP, composed of 370 religious institutes and societies of apostolic life, is known for its history of activism during the dictatorship of the incumbent President’s father.

Like the CMSP, the Franciscan Province of San Pedro Bautista – Philippines issued its own statement on the Supreme Court ruling, calling it a “spiritual wound” inflicted on the Filipino people.

The Franciscans said they cannot remain silent, following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi.

“As Franciscans, we remember how Francis stood before bishops and popes, speaking plainly of Gospel humility, poverty, and justice. He did not remain silent in the face of indifference or excess. Inspired by his witness, we too feel compelled to raise our voices — not in condemnation, but in loving insistence on integrity and truth,” the Franciscans said.

They urged Filipinos not to let their spirits be dimmed, as history shows that “even when truth is obscured, it is never extinguished.”

“We walk with Jesus, who suffered injustice, was condemned in silence, and yet rose in truth,” the Franciscans said. “Let us go forth as lesser brothers — not only in title, but in action.”