Philippine court issues arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged assassination threats

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte now faces an arrest warrant after making a startling claim that she had arranged the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and a former congressman if she were killed first.

A court in Quezon City issued the warrant on September 4 after rejecting a request to delay it. The Justice Department confirmed the order. Duterte was charged last month with “grave threats,” an offense covering threats to another person’s life or physical safety.

The warrant may not immediately result in Duterte’s detention. Paolo Tamase, deputy dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, said her lawyers could file for bail, potentially on the same day. “In the simplest way, Vice President Sara can file a petition for bail before the regional trial court,” Tamase told AFP by phone. He said she might not need to appear personally and could also challenge the warrant before a higher court, including the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court.

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In the simplest way, Vice President Sara can file a petition for bail before the regional trial court.

Duterte’s legal team said she had “no intention of evading the law and will continue to pursue all legal remedies.” The Justice Department has rejected the argument from her lawyers that she cannot face criminal prosecution for conduct already included in the impeachment case.

The alleged assassination threat is a central issue in Duterte’s impeachment trial before the Senate. The House of Representatives impeached her in May on several allegations, including corruption and embezzlement, and the Senate proceedings have entered their ninth week. A conviction could remove her from office and permanently bar her from politics, ending her plan to run for president in 2028. Duterte first declared her intention to seek the presidency in February.

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No intention of evading the law and will continue to pursue all legal remedies.