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🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates /Elections & Politics

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte unlikely to face jail despite arrest order

From Khaleej Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A Quezon City court issued an arrest order for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte over three alleged counts of grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family.
  • Duterte’s lawyers said she intends to post bail, set at P120,000 for each count, while the Justice Department said the court found probable cause for trial.
  • The case proceeds alongside an impeachment trial that could remove Duterte from office and bar her from future government positions.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is unlikely to spend time in jail despite a court order for her arrest over alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and members of his family.

The Department of Interior and Local Government said Duterte’s lawyers intended to post bail as soon as possible. The Quezon City Regional Trial Court set bail at P120,000 for each of the three counts of grave threats.

no intention of evading the law

· Paul Lawrence LimDuterte’s lawyer said she would comply with the law while pursuing her legal remedies.

Duterte’s lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim, said the vice president had “no intention of evading the law” and would pursue all available legal remedies, “regardless of the question of jurisdiction.” Her legal team had earlier sought to dismiss the cases, arguing that an impeachable official could be removed only through impeachment proceedings and trial.

The Department of Justice said the court found probable cause to hold Duterte for trial and rejected her motion to defer or recall the arrest warrant. DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez said only one arrest warrant remained active. “The Department respects the Court’s ruling and reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law,” Martinez said.

regardless of the question of jurisdiction

· Paul Lawrence LimLim described Duterte’s position as her legal team challenged the court’s jurisdiction.

The arrest order comes as the Senate conducts an impeachment trial against Duterte. The alleged threats form a central part of the case, which seeks to remove her from office and permanently bar her from holding or seeking government office. A conviction under the Philippine legal code could carry up to six months in jail.

Marcos government officials maintain that Duterte can face criminal charges while serving as vice president because presidential immunity applies only to the president. The case arose from an online briefing in November 2024, when Duterte said she had arranged for Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to be killed if she were assassinated first. Duterte has said her remarks were taken out of context. The National Bureau of Investigation said the alleged threats were serious and warranted investigation.

The Department respects the Court’s ruling and reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law

· Atty. Polo MartinezThe Justice Department responded to the court’s decision to issue the arrest warrant.
About this summary

Originally published by Khaleej Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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