MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte appeared before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Saturday, September 5, a day after the court issued a warrant for her arrest over a grave threats case, saying she did not feel safe and was concerned about threats to her life and the safety of her children.
Duterte arrived at the Quezon City Hall of Justice as authorities moved to implement the arrest warrant issued by Quezon City RTC Branch 98 in connection with three counts of grave threats.
The case stemmed from allegations involving threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Duterte’s camp has maintained its position regarding the case, while the vice president raised concerns about her security as she faced the possibility of arrest.
Despite the arrest warrant, Duterte was able to post bail before the court. The RTC set bail at P120,000 for each of the three counts, bringing the total amount of bail to P360,000. The development drew a strong political reaction from Duterte’s political allies, including the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), which condemned the issuance of the arrest warrant.
In a statement, PDP-Laban described the warrant as an “assault” on the legitimate political opposition, questioning the circumstances surrounding the court’s decision.
The party also pointed to the fact that the warrant was issued by a regional trial court judge who was recently appointed by President Marcos, raising concerns over the perceived independence of the judicial process.
The arrest warrant represents a significant development in the legal challenges facing Duterte, who is also currently undergoing an impeachment trial before the Senate. The grave threats case, however, is separate from the impeachment proceedings, which center on allegations including the misuse of confidential funds and other accusations against the vice president.
The Quezon City court’s action has consequently added another legal and political dimension to Duterte’s increasingly contentious relationship with the Marcos administration.
As the case moves forward, Duterte’s camp and her political allies are expected to continue challenging the allegations, while authorities proceed with the judicial process. For now, Duterte remains out on bail following her appearance before the Quezon City court.
