Philippine court orders arrest of Vice President Sara Duterte on threat charges
A Manila court ordered Vice President Sara Duterte's arrest over alleged threats to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and others, while her lawyer said she will seek bail and use legal remedies.
Manila court officials issued an arrest order for Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday, citing charges that she publicly threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and House Speaker Martin Romualdez killed. The order follows her impeachment by the House of Representatives in May on the same accusations and alleged financial irregularities. Duterte, who denied the allegations, is expected to post bail and pursue all legal options.
"She has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies," said Paul Lawrence Lim, the vice president's lawyer.
The charges arise from a statement made during a 2024 online news conference in which Duterte warned that an assassin would be used against Marcos and others if she were harmed. She later claimed the remark was not a joke but an expression of concern for her safety, prompting a criminal investigation and national-security concerns.
The legal case could bar Duterte from holding public office and prevent her from running for president in 2028 if she is convicted. The impeachment trial, conducted by the Senate, began in July after the House, dominated by Marcos allies, voted overwhelmingly for impeachment on grounds of unexplained wealth, misuse of state funds and the alleged threats.