The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday said that they are ready to defend the vice president in the Senate impeachment court after the House of Representatives voted to impeach her.
"While questions of constitutional significance remain pending before the Supreme Court, we are fully prepared to defend the Vice President before the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court, where it is incumbent upon the Prosecution to discharge the burden of proof," Duterte's defense team said in a statement.
For the second straight year in her term, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Duterte.
Two hundred fifty-five of the 316 House members supported the impeachment complaints against Duterte on the grounds of alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and supposed assassination plot against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
Meanwhile, 26 lawmakers voted no for the vice president's impeachment and 9 have abstained.
The defense team said they are aware of the plenary’s vote and prepared to face the charges against the vice president.
"We are aware of the action taken by the plenary and with that vote to transmit the Articles of Impeachment, the burden now rests on the accusers to substantiate their claims in accordance with the Constitution, the law, and rules on evidence," the vice president's defense team said.