Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte is facing arrest after a Quezon City court issued a warrant against her for three counts of grave threats stemming from her controversial 2024 remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 found probable cause to hold Duterte for trial and ordered the issuance of a warrant of arrest on Friday, Sept. 4.
Duterte’s lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim confirmed the warrant, saying the vice president would not evade the legal process despite continuing to question the court’s jurisdiction.
“Regardless of the question on jurisdiction, she has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies,” Lim said in a statement.
The warrant was a major development in the criminal case against Duterte, who is separately standing trial at the Impeachment Court over allegations that also include grave threats against the Marcos family.
The Department of Justice filed the grave threats charges in August after prosecutors found strong evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction to indict Duterte.
The case was based on an online briefing in November 2024, when Duterte said she had instructed someone to kill Marcos, the first lady and Romualdez if she herself were killed.
Duterte’s lawyers sought to quash the criminal case, questioning the court’s jurisdiction and arguing that impeachable officers have limited procedural immunity while in office.
They said they would continue to pursue legal remedies despite the issuance of the warrant.
Palace respects court order
Malacañang, meanwhile, said it would respect the court decision and denied any interference by the Marcos administration.
“Ang pangulo, ang administrasyon, kung ano po ang mga nagiging desisyon o resolusyon ng judiciary, iyan po ay ginagalang natin,” Palace press officer Claire Castro told NewsWatch Plus shortly after news of the warrant broke.
[Translation: The president and the administration respect the decisions and resolutions of the judiciary.]
Castro rejected suggestions that Malacañang could have influenced the issuance of the warrant.
“Huwag po natin kalimutan na meron po tayong tinatawag na separation of powers. Muli, hindi po nakikialam ang pangulo sa anumang magiging desisyon ng mga korte,” Castro said.
[Translation: Let us not forget that we have separation of powers. Again, the president does not interfere in whatever decisions the courts make.]
“Hindi po nagdidikta ang palasyo o ang administrasyon sa anumang gagawin ng mga korte o pagdedesisyon ng korte,” she added.
[Translation: The Palace and the administration do not dictate what the courts should do or how they should decide.]
Castro said Duterte was given due process before the case reached the court.
“Hindi ito bagong issue. Dumaan ito sa proseso, nagkaroon ng pag-iimbestiga at kung ano man na naging findings niyan, ito naman ay naaayon sa mga ebidensya,” she said.
[Translation: This is not a new issue. It went through the proper process and an investigation, and whatever findings were reached were based on the evidence”]
The official said Marcos believed the justice system should be allowed to run its course.
“Hindi naging marahas ang pangulo pagdating diyan. Kasi naniniwala ang pangulo, hindi puwedeng i-shortcut ang justice. Due process pa rin, hindi EJK, proseso, at ayon sa batas dapat,” she said.
[Translation: The president did not respond harshly to this because he believes justice cannot be a shortcut. There must still be due process, not extrajudicial action. Everything must follow the proper process and the law.]
