By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday appeared at the Quezon City Hall of Justice and posted bail in the grave threats case filed against her, a day after the Quezon City Regional Trial Court issued a warrant for her arrest.
Duterte arrived at the court on September 5 amid heightened security and initially hesitated to enter the building, saying she did not feel safe.
“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.
She also said: “I do not feel safe. Pakiramdam ko papatayin nila ako” (“I do not feel safe. I feel they will kill me”).
Duterte’s lawyers accompanied her to the court as she complied with the arrest process. Her counsel, Michael Poa, later confirmed that she was considered surrendered after appearing before the court.
The development came a day after Branch 98 of the Quezon City RTC issued an arrest warrant against Duterte after finding probable cause to hold her for trial on three counts of grave threats.
The court set bail at ₱120,000 for each count, or ₱360,000 for the three charges.
The criminal case arose from Duterte’s statements during a November 2024 online press conference in which she said she had instructed an individual to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.
Duterte has denied that her statements constituted grave threats and previously argued that the criminal case should be dismissed on jurisdictional grounds, citing her status as an impeachable official.
The court rejected her motion and ruled that there was probable cause to proceed with the three criminal charges. The Department of Justice said it respects the ruling and that the case will now proceed to trial.
Duterte did not appear before the court on Friday after the warrant was issued. Her lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim, said she had no intention of evading the law and would continue to pursue available legal remedies.
The alleged threats are also among the matters raised in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. The criminal case and the impeachment proceedings remain separate legal processes.
With Duterte’s appearance at the Quezon City court and posting of bail on Saturday, the immediate arrest phase of the grave threats case has moved into the next stage of judicial proceedings.
ia/xf
