Sara Duterte posts bail in grave threats case
MANILA, Philippines (Update 2: 2:41 p.m.) — Vice President Sara Duterte posted bail at a Quezon City court on Saturday, September 5, a day after an arrest warrant was issued against her over three counts of grave threats.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 set bail at P120,000 for each count.
Duterte's lawyers said the vice president posted bail directly with the Quezon City RTC Branch 98, which was the assigned weekend court, without prejudice to the jurisdictional issues raised in the case.
“The routine bail procedure was conducted. After receiving all bail requirements, the court issued an order lifting the arrest warrant,” her lawyers Paul Lawrence Lim, Clifford Chua and Michael Wesley Poa said in a statement.
The lawyers thanked everyone for their “patience, professionalism and support” during the proceedings.
Duterte arrived at the Quezon City Hall of Justice on Saturday morning, saying she does not feel safe and fears for her life and the safety of her children.
“I have documented threats and harassment since 2023. I fear for my children. I do not feel they are safe if I am with them,” Duterte said in a statement issued by the Office of the Vice President.
Speaking to reporters upon her arrival at the Justice Hall, Duterte said her family had also allegedly been subjected to harassment.
“Hinarass nila ’yung lugar kung nasaan ’yung nanay ko at tsaka ’yung anak ko. Saan ako pupunta? Mag-bail ako, hindi titigil ’yung harassment. Hindi ako mag-bail, pupunta ako sa pulis. Wala akong tiwala sa pulis, wala nga akong tiwala sa korte,” Duterte said.
(They harassed the place where my mother and child were. Where am I supposed to go? If I post bail, the harassment will not stop. If I don't post bail, I'll go to the police. I don't trust the police. I don't trust the court either.)
“Sinong sasagot kapag namatay ako mamayang gabi? Sinong mananagot? Siyempre, maghuhugas-kamay lang ’yung pulis, make it look like an accident, maghuhugas-kamay lang ’yung judge. I do not feel safe at all, kahit anong gawin ko,” she added.
(Who will answer for it if I die tonight? Who will be held responsible? Of course, the police will just wash their hands of it, make it look like an accident, and the judge will just wash their hands of it. I do not feel safe at all, whatever I do.)
Duterte did not provide details about the threats and harassment she said she had documented since 2023. She also did not identify the police officers she referred to in her statement.
Arrest warrant
The court issued the arrest warrant on Friday, September 4, after finding probable cause to hold Duterte for trial.
The warrant was issued by Judge Maria Angelica de Ramos and was served by police at the Office of the Vice President.
The Department of Justice charged Duterte with three counts of grave threats under Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
The charges stemmed from an online press briefing in November 2024, when Duterte said she had hired someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.
Duterte later said her remarks had been “maliciously taken out of logical context.”
She had previously confirmed receiving the arrest warrant but did not appear before the Quezon City court on Friday when it was issued.
The National Bureau of Investigation said Duterte could post bail even on Saturday. The NBI, like the police, is authorized to implement the arrest warrant.
Additional police forces were deployed around the Quezon City Hall of Justice following the warrant's issuance. Police were also seen securing the area on Saturday morning.
Duterte's lawyers Michael Poa and Paul Lawrence Lim arrived at the Hall of Justice ahead of the vice president but did not entertain questions from reporters.
Lim said on Friday that Duterte had no intention of evading the law and would continue to exercise her legal remedies regardless of questions surrounding the court's jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction questioned
Duterte's legal team earlier filed a motion to quash the case, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction over the vice president.
Her lawyers also argued that impeachable officials enjoy limited procedural immunity while in office under the 1987 Constitution and that criminal proceedings cannot be pursued against an impeachable official while an impeachment case is pending.
The court heard oral arguments on Duterte's motion in late August.
The DOJ, however, has maintained that there is prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction to support the three charges against Duterte.
The grave threats case comes as Duterte's impeachment trial before the Senate is ongoing.
The alleged threats against Marcos also form part of one of the Articles of Impeachment against the vice president.
PDP-LABAN backs Duterte
The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP-LABAN) on Saturday denounced the arrest warrant against Duterte, describing it as a “blatant attempt to decimate the political Opposition.”
PDP-LABAN national spokesperson lawyer Ferdinand Topacio accused the administration of appointing allies to key government posts and allegedly using government agencies to target critics who speak out against corruption.
“The blatant attempt to decimate the political Opposition is disingenuous yet obvious,” Topacio said in a statement.
“We in the PDP-LABAN will be at the forefront of this epic battle for our democratic way of life. We stand with the Vice-President! We stand with justice! Stand with the Filipino people!” he added.
Topacio did not cite specific government appointments or agencies in making the allegations.
Duterte's camp has continued to challenge the legal proceedings against her while pursuing available remedies before the courts. — with reports from Cristina Chi and Ian Laqui
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