Democracy on trial: Why the integrity of impeachment matters

The Philippines once again faces one of those defining moments that test not merely its politics but the resilience of its constitutional democracy. At such moments, the issue is seldom confined to the fortunes of one public official. What is ultimately being tested here is whether democratic institutions continue to function as envisioned by the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Constitutions are written not for ordinary times but for difficult ones. Their true value emerges when political institutions confront issues that divide governments, political parties, and the Filipinos themselves. Among the constitutional mechanisms designed precisely for such moments is impeachment.

WHEN DEMOCRATIC DECLINE BEGINS
Nearly two centuries ago, Alexis de Tocqueville observed that democracy depends less upon written constitutions than upon the civic virtues and habits of both citizens and public officials. Institutions endure because those entrusted with public authority respect constitutional limits, and citizens insist that those limits apply equally to everyone. Democratic decline often begins not with constitutional amendment but with the gradual erosion of these democratic habits.

The impeachment process in the Senate therefore extends far beyond the fate of any single impeachable official, political brand, or popularity. It concerns whether the country’s institutions remain capable of upholding accountability, establishing truth through due process, and applying the rule of law without fear or favor. These are not abstract constitutional ideals. They are the foundations upon which democratic legitimacy and sustainable economic development ultimately rest.

This is not merely a political concern. It is also an economic one.

INSTITUTIONS AS RULES OF THE GAME
Nobel laureate Douglass North once described institutions as the “rules of the game” that reduce uncertainty in political and economic activities. Predictable rules governing the exercise of power, the settlement of disputes, and the accountability of public officials encourage investment, lower transaction costs, and strengthen public trust. Conversely, when rules become subject to political influence or selective enforcement, uncertainty rises, confidence weakens, and both democratic governance and economic performance suffer.

Building upon this insight, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson distinguish between inclusive institutions, which distribute political authority within a framework of accountability, and extractive institutions, where power becomes increasingly insulated from constitutional restraint. Democratic societies remain resilient not because political conflict disappears, but because constitutional rules continue to apply equally, regardless of who occupies public office.

Viewed from this broader perspective, impeachment should never be regarded merely as a political contest. It is an extraordinary constitutional mechanism intended to determine, through evidence and due process, whether officials entrusted with the highest public responsibilities have violated the standards required of their office. The integrity of the process therefore matters as much as the eventual verdict.

When the Philippine Senate has convened as an impeachment court, senators have temporarily assumed responsibilities fundamentally different from their legislative role. Their constitutional obligation is no longer to advance policy or represent political constituencies but to evaluate evidence impartially and render judgment consistent with the Constitution. Although senators are inevitably attached to their respective political affiliations, constitutional duty must take precedence over partisan loyalty.

DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
This distinction is crucial because democratic legitimacy depends not merely upon legal authority but upon public confidence that constitutional powers are exercised fairly. An acquittal following an impartial assessment of insufficient evidence can strengthen democracy just as much as a conviction supported by convincing proof.

What ultimately matters is whether citizens believe that constitutional principles, rather than political expediency, governed the proceedings.

Comparative experience should offer some valuable lessons. The United States, South Korea, Brazil, and other democracies have all confronted constitutional crises involving impeachment or similar accountability mechanisms. While their political circumstances differed, one lesson consistently emerges. Public confidence depended less upon whether officials were removed than upon whether constitutional institutions demonstrated independence, procedural fairness, and respect for the rule of law.

South Korea’s impeachment of President Park Geun-hye is particularly instructive. Despite intense political polarization, the Constitutional Court strengthened institutional credibility by grounding its decision in transparent legal reasoning following extensive investigation and open parliamentary deliberation. Citizens accepted the outcome because they believed constitutional institutions had faithfully discharged their responsibilities.

Other democracies illustrate the opposite lesson. Where accountability mechanisms are perceived either as political weapons or as shields protecting political allies irrespective of evidence, public trust deteriorates. Once institutional credibility begins to erode, rebuilding it becomes a slow and uncertain process.

This is one big challenge to the Senate today.

THE CHALLENGE OF DIGITAL DISINFORMATION
Yet the Philippines faces another challenge common to many democracies: the rapid spread of digital disinformation. Social media has transformed public discourse, allowing information, and misinformation, to travel with unprecedented speed. Coordinated disinformation campaigns increasingly blur the distinction between verified facts and political narratives.

Tocqueville warned that democratic societies become vulnerable whenever citizens surrender independent judgment to prevailing opinion. In today’s digital environment, that warning has acquired renewed significance. Constitutional institutions must therefore serve as anchors of factual credibility. Courts, oversight bodies, and impeachment tribunals strengthen democracy only when their conclusions rest exclusively upon competent evidence subjected to transparent public scrutiny.

To be sure, the larger concern extends beyond any single impeachment proceeding. The point is whether democratic accountability itself continues to command public confidence. Democracy weakens when citizens begin doubting that constitutional institutions remain capable of discovering the truth, holding powerful officials accountable, and administering justice impartially.

PRACTICAL SAFEGUARDS
For this reason, transparency, accountability, and equal application of the law remain indispensable constitutional values. They are practical safeguards against arbitrary government and the culture of impunity that has challenged many democracies including the Philippines.

None of this prejudges the outcome of any pending constitutional proceeding. Due process requires that allegations be established through competent evidence and that every respondent receives the full protection guaranteed by the Constitution. The legitimacy of impeachment depends upon preserving accountability and fairness simultaneously. Justice must not only be rendered; it must also be seen to emerge from an impartial constitutional process.

True, the Philippines has repeatedly demonstrated remarkable democratic resilience since the restoration of constitutional government in 1986. Its institutions have weathered political transitions, economic crises, and constitutional controversies. That resilience, however, should never be taken for granted. Democratic governance requires constant reinforcement through faithful adherence to constitutional norms rather than reliance upon personalities or temporary political alignments.

STRENGTHENING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
The present moment therefore represents another opportunity to strengthen public confidence in constitutional government. Every impeachment either reinforces or weakens the institutional capital accumulated over decades. Like financial capital, public trust is painstakingly built but can be quickly dissipated. Once citizens lose confidence that constitutional processes remain impartial, restoring that confidence becomes far more difficult than preserving it.

Impeachment is not an exception to constitutional government; it is one of its essential safeguards. Alongside the separation of powers and judicial review, it ensures that no holder of high office stands above constitutional accountability. To weaken impeachment for reasons of political convenience is therefore to weaken one of the Constitution’s principal checks on public power.

Nearly two centuries after Tocqueville reflected on the conditions necessary for democratic self-government, his insight remains remarkably relevant. Constitutions endure only when citizens and public officials alike remain faithful to both their letter and their spirit. The Philippines’ present constitutional test is therefore not simply about impeachment. It is about whether its democratic institutions continue to deserve the confidence of the people they were created to serve.

Diwa C. Guinigundo is the former deputy governor for the Monetary and Economics Sector, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). He served the BSP for 41 years. In 2001-2003, he was alternate executive director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. He is the senior pastor of the Fullness of Christ International Ministries in Mandaluyong.