MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte posted ₱360,000 in bail on Saturday, September 5, 2026, a day after a Quezon City court issued a warrant for her arrest over three counts of grave threats involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 set bail at ₱120,000 for each count. After Duterte posted bail, the court lifted the arrest warrant, allowing her to leave the courthouse while the criminal proceedings continue.
Duterte appeared at the Quezon City court on Saturday and was accompanied by members of her legal team. Her lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim, said she had no intention of evading the law and would continue pursuing the legal remedies available to her.
The criminal case traces back to remarks Duterte made during an online press conference in November 2024. During that briefing, she said she had spoken with someone and instructed that Marcos, his wife, and Romualdez be killed if she herself were killed.
Duterte has since denied that the remarks constituted an actual threat, saying they were taken out of context and were connected to concerns about her own security.
Court finds probable cause
The arrest warrant was issued Friday after Branch 98 rejected Duterte’s attempt to defer or recall the warrant and found probable cause to hold her for trial on all three counts of grave threats.
The Department of Justice said it respected the court’s ruling and reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law.
The case was filed by prosecutors in August following an investigation that included findings forwarded by the National Bureau of Investigation. Duterte’s camp had challenged the proceedings, including on jurisdictional grounds, arguing that constitutional protections applicable to impeachable officials should be considered.
Duterte raises safety concerns
After appearing before the court, Duterte also expressed concern about her personal safety. She told reporters that she did not feel safe around police personnel and questioned what would happen if she were to die while under the circumstances surrounding the case.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said police had accorded Duterte the respect due to her office and expressed regret that the pressure surrounding her legal and political battles was affecting her perception of the situation.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said it would respect the court’s decision and orders.
Another front in the Marcos-Duterte political feud
The criminal case is unfolding alongside Duterte’s ongoing impeachment trial before the Philippine Senate, placing the vice president under intense legal and political pressure.
The dispute marks another major escalation in the relationship between Marcos and Duterte, who ran together in the 2022 elections and won by a wide margin before their political alliance deteriorated.
Duterte’s impeachment proceedings involve several allegations, including accusations related to public funds and the remarks that became the subject of the grave-threats case. She has rejected the allegations.
The stakes extend beyond Duterte’s current position. A conviction in the grave-threats case could have serious consequences for her political future, including her reported ambitions to seek the presidency in 2028. Reuters and AP both noted that the legal proceedings could affect her eligibility to hold public office.
For now, however, posting bail does not end the case. Duterte remains entitled to contest the accusations in court, and the criminal proceedings are expected to continue.
What comes next could therefore become another pivotal chapter in the increasingly bitter political conflict between the Marcos and Duterte camps—one that could have consequences well beyond the courtroom and into the country’s 2028 political landscape.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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