According to a report by the Philippine Manila Bulletin on September 4, a court in Quezon City has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte, accusing her of three ‘serious threats’ crimes. Sara Duterte’s legal team confirmed this news, emphasizing that she will not evade the law and will continue to take all legal measures.
On the 4th, a district court issued an arrest warrant, charging Sarah Duterte with threatening the President of the Philippines, Marcelo Marcos, First Lady Lisa Alenita Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romulo. The court set bail amounts of PhP120,000 for each of the three charges.
Sarah's legal team confirmed this news. In a statement, they said: "Today, the Quezon City District Court issued an arrest warrant for the Vice President. Regardless of jurisdictional issues, she has no intention of evading the law and will continue to use all legal means to pursue her rights."
Filipine Vice President Sara Duterte IC Photo
The Philippine President's Office subsequently issued a statement saying that Marcos' office respects any decisions or instructions from the court. When asked whether the Philippine National Police were ready to execute the arrest order, Interior Secretary Joed Molina responded: "Their lawyers have confirmed that they have received the arrest order and intend to pay the bail as soon as possible."
These cases stem from statements made by Sarah at a meeting in November 2024. She claimed that she had arranged an assassin to carry out revenge against Marcos and others in case of her own misfortune. On August 11 this year, the Philippine Department of Justice filed charges against Sarah for ‘serious threats’ before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
Sarah is the eldest daughter of former Philippine President Duterte. In 2022, she formed a campaign partnership with the current Philippine President Marcos. However, after Marcos's government came to power, the alliance between the two families quickly broke down, and their mutual enmity deepened. The rift further widened after Duterte was arrested and transferred to the International Criminal Court last March.
Currently, the Philippine Senate is conducting an impeachment trial against Sara. According to the Philippine constitution, if two-thirds or more senators support the impeachment, Sara will be convicted and removed from office, with a lifetime ban from holding public positions.
Sarah announced her candidacy for the 2028 Philippine presidency in February this year. If she manages to overcome the impeachment process, she is expected to become one of the most competitive candidates in the 2028 elections.
