Philippine court issues arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte

14:41

By: Azzat Manal

Philippine court issues arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte

A court in Quezon City has issued an arrest warrant for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife Liza Araneta Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The warrant follows the court’s rejection of a defense request seeking to suspend or dismiss the measure. According to the Department of Justice, the decision clears the way for proceedings against Duterte on three counts of serious threats.

The case stems from remarks made by Duterte during an online press conference in November 2024. She said she had allegedly arranged for a contract killer to target Marcos, the first lady and Romualdez if an alleged assassination attempt against her were carried out.

The Department of Justice filed the complaint in August after prosecutors said they had found sufficient evidence to establish a strong possibility of conviction. Prosecutors recommended bail of 120,000 Philippine pesos, or about $2,100, for each charge.

Duterte’s lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim, said the vice president would not evade the law despite the defense’s objections concerning jurisdiction. He added that she would continue to pursue all procedural remedies available to her.

Her legal team has also sought to have the charges dismissed, arguing that questions over jurisdiction and constitutional protections afforded to public officials should be considered. Duterte has previously maintained that her statements were deliberately taken out of context and said her remarks about an alleged assassination plot were intended to draw attention to threats against her own safety.

The arrest warrant adds another legal challenge for Duterte, who is also facing an impeachment trial before the Philippine Senate. The impeachment proceedings include allegations of misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth and threats against the president, the first lady and a former House speaker.

Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, denies wrongdoing and has described the impeachment proceedings as politically motivated. Earlier in the same case, a court dismissed a separate charge related to inciting sedition.

The legal proceedings come amid an increasingly strained political relationship between the Duterte and Marcos camps, which were once allied but have since become political rivals.