The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte is ready to confront charges and accusations against her in the impeachment trial even as majority of Filipinos believed the country's second top government official face trial in the Senate.

In a statement issued on Monday, Duterte's defense team "reiterate our firm position that the initiation of the impeachment process?particularly the Fourth Impeachment Complaint?suffers from serious constitutional infirmities."

"The impeachment process must never be weaponized to harass, silence, or eliminate political opponents. It is a constitutional mechanism, not a political tool," it stated.

"Nevertheless, should the Senate choose to proceed, we stand ready to confront the charges and expose the baselessness of the accusations against the Vice President," it added.

Based on the survey conducted by OCTA Research from April 20 to 24 but released Monday, 78 percent or majority of the Filipinos "think Vice President Sara Duterte should face a Senate trial or the impeachment court to clear her name by responding to the charges against her".

The result also shows that 13 percent voted a "no" while nine others did not answer.

In a radio interview Monday, OCTA Research fellow Ranjit Rye said the surveys were answered by 1,200 responders aged 18 and above.

"The awareness is 91 percent, although our people are not aware about the exact complaints but they are aware that there is an impeachment process," he said.

"Among the 91 percent, 78 percent of them believed that Vice President Sara Duterte should use this chance to face the charges to clear her name," he added. Robina Asido/DMS