MANILA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The defense team of Sara Duterte said on Monday that the Philippine vice president had formally filed her answer to the Articles of Impeachment before the Senate, which is sitting as an impeachment court.

In a statement, Sara's lawyers said the Answer sets forth the vice president's defenses and raises significant constitutional, procedural, and substantive issues concerning the Articles of Impeachment and proceedings before the Philippines' House of Representatives (HOR) and HOR's Committee on Justice.

Her lawyers said the matters raised in the Answer should be addressed before the impeachment court rather than through publicity.

On May 18, the Philippine Senate convened as an impeachment court on Monday to try the case against Sara. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano ordered that a summons be issued to Sara, directing her to file her answer within a non-extendible 10-day period from receipt of the summons and to appear before the Senate upon notice.

Sara, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, announced her candidacy for the 2028 Philippine presidential election in February this year. If more than two-thirds of senators vote in favor of the impeachment, she will be convicted, removed from office, and barred from holding public office for life. ■