Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Wednesday denied the chamber’s preparations for the possible receipt of an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte this evening.

“The Senate is not preparing for anything re impeachment,” Escudero told reporters.

“We cannot and will not assume anything until and unless it is a fact,” he emphasized.

A Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau staff member earlier told reporters that the House of Representatives may endorse the impeachment complaint later today.

Escudero lamented, “The statements made by an over-eager staff member were not authorized by me nor were they proper.”

According to Congress rules, the House of Representatives will need to secure at least 103 signatures from its members before it can endorse an impeachment complaint and have it transmitted to the Senate.

If the required number of signatures is secured, there’s no need for the House Committee on Justice to conduct hearings on the impeachment complaint.

The Senate will act as an impeachment court.