Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp confirmed that the Quezon City Regional Trial Court has issued a warrant of arrest against her in connection with a grave threats case.
Duterte’s lawyer, Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim, said the vice president has no intention of evading the law despite her camp’s challenge to the court’s jurisdiction. He said the defense will continue to pursue all available legal remedies.
“Today, the Quezon City RTC has issued a warrant of arrest against the Vice President. Regardless of the question on jurisdiction, she has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies,” Lim said.
The Quezon City RTC set bail at P120,000 for the three counts of grave threats filed against Duterte.
The court previously held oral arguments on Aug. 25 at Branch 98 on Duterte’s camp’s request to dismiss the case. The defense argued that the court lacked jurisdiction over the case.
Duterte’s camp also argued that, as an impeachable official, the vice president cannot be subjected to criminal prosecution for allegations that are also part of the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
The Department of Justice, however, maintained that there was prima facie evidence and reasonable certainty of conviction to charge Duterte. The DOJ also argued that questions concerning jurisdiction and the effect of the impeachment proceedings on the criminal case should be raised before the court.
The case stemmed from Duterte’s statements in 2024 in which she said she had allegedly instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed.
Duterte previously said her statements had been taken out of context. She maintained that they were not a threat but referred to what she described as a threat to her own security.
