Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte posts bail after arrest order over alleged threats

Vice President Sara Duterte posted bail on Saturday after a Quezon City regional trial court issued an arrest order the day before, accusing her of publicly threatening to arrange the killing of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and former House speaker Martin Romualdez. The 48-year-old appeared in a black outfit, embraced a sobbing supporter and was escorted to her car amid chants from her followers.

Duterte, who denies the allegations, showed a court order lifting the arrest warrant and asked journalists to accompany her, saying she did not feel safe around police personnel who she claimed had been harassing her and her household since 2023. > "If possible please go with me, because I do not feel safe with all these police personnel who are harassing those at my home, harassing me since 2023," she said.

Her attorney Paul Lawrence Lim said court staff took her fingerprints and that she posted bail of 360,000 pesos (about $5,740) for three counts of grave threats. He added that Duterte intends to fight the charges and will use all legal remedies available. > "She has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies," Lim said.

The case stems from comments made during a 2024 online news conference, where Duterte warned that she would have Marcos, his wife and Romualdez killed by an assassin if she herself were killed. She later claimed the remarks were an expression of concern for her safety rather than a genuine threat. A conviction could disqualify her from holding public office and bar her from running for president in 2028.

The legal battle is part of a broader political clash between Duterte and Marcos. The House of Representatives, dominated by Marcos allies, impeached Duterte in May on unrelated charges, and the Senate began a televised impeachment trial in July. The two politicians were running mates in the 2022 election, linking the Duterte and Marcos dynasties, but have since become rivals over policy and geopolitical issues.