A court in Manila, Philippines, has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte on charges of "grave threats" following her statement that she hired hitmen to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and relatives who include a former House Speaker, if she were assassinated first. Her legal team affirmed she has no intention of fleeing and will exercise all legal rights. Meanwhile, the government emphasized its respect for the court's order.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 98 in Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte today (4 Sep) on criminal charges of "grave threats," related to statements considered threatening to the president's life.
The Philippine Department of Justice confirmed that the court rejected Duterte's legal team's petition to delay or quash the arrest warrant, citing insufficient grounds. The court found probable cause to proceed with trial on three counts of grave threats against Duterte.
Polo Martinez, spokesperson for the Department of Justice, stated the department respects the court's decision and reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law. He clarified that no prior arrest warrants had been issued, and the warrant released last Friday is the only one in this case.
The case originated from an online press conference where Duterte stated that if she were assassinated first, she had arranged for the killing of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Martin Romualdez, former House Speaker and relative of the president.
Duterte later said her remarks were taken out of context and she did not intend the meaning attributed to them. Her legal team argued that as a senior official, she can only be removed through impeachment and should not face criminal charges related to the same allegations.
However, the Department of Justice rejected this argument. Martinez explained that immunity from prosecution applies only to the president, not the vice president.
Paul Lawrence Lim, Duterte's lawyer, said in a statement that the vice president "has no intention to evade the law" and will use all legal means to defend herself, regardless of whether the court has jurisdiction over this case.
Meanwhile, Jonvic Remulla, Secretary of the Interior, said Duterte's legal team is preparing to file for bail as soon as possible.
Paolo Tamase, Associate Dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, commented that the easiest step for Duterte is to file for bail with the regional trial court, and she may not need to appear in person for this process. Additionally, her legal team can contest the warrant in higher courts, including the Court of Appeals or even the Supreme Court. If found guilty under Philippine law, she could face up to six months in prison.
This criminal case arises amid Duterte's ongoing impeachment process in the Senate. The House of Representatives voted to impeach her in May on several charges, including corruption and abuse of power.
The assassination plot allegation is a key issue in the impeachment. If the Senate convicts her, she will be removed from office and barred from holding political positions for life, ending her plans to run for president in 2028. Duterte announced her presidential candidacy in February this year.
This arrest warrant significantly increases legal and political pressure on Sara Duterte, as both the criminal case and impeachment proceed simultaneously, potentially affecting her political future in the Philippines.