MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s attempt to have the judge handling her criminal case step aside has been rejected, clearing a major procedural hurdle for the continuation of the three-count grave threats case against her.
Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 Presiding Judge Maria Angelica De Ramos denied Duterte’s Motion for Inhibition or Voluntary Recusal in an order dated September 14, ruling that the request had no sufficient basis.
The decision came after Duterte’s lawyers accused the court of showing “manifest partiality, bias, and favoritism” toward the prosecution.
Judge Says No Clear Evidence of Bias
Duterte’s legal team filed the motion by email on September 10, one day before her scheduled arraignment.
Among the defense’s complaints was the court’s handling of digital evidence submitted by prosecutors. Her lawyers argued that the prosecution had initially omitted certain digital evidence and that the court effectively assisted prosecutors by directing them to submit additional material.
The defense also questioned the court’s handling of a prosecution submission on August 17, arguing that Duterte’s camp was not given adequate time to respond.
Judge De Ramos rejected those arguments.
The court said there was no clear and convincing evidence of actual bias, prejudgment or an improper connection that would reasonably call her impartiality into question.
As a result, the judge found no compelling reason to voluntarily recuse herself from the case.
Duterte Camp Says It Will Use All Available Remedies
Despite the setback, Duterte’s legal team is not backing down.
Her lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim, said the Vice President would exercise all available legal remedies.
The defense also acknowledged the court’s directive requiring both sides to strictly observe the sub judice rule, which restricts public discussion of matters that are actively before the court.
The statement means the legal battle is far from over, particularly because Duterte’s camp has separately challenged the criminal proceedings before the Supreme Court.
What Is the Grave Threats Case About?
The criminal case stems from Duterte’s controversial statements during an online press conference in November 2024, when she said she had spoken to someone who would kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if something happened to her.
The Department of Justice subsequently filed three counts of grave threats against Duterte.
The charges were filed under the applicable provisions of the Revised Penal Code in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Duterte has maintained that her remarks were taken out of context and has challenged the criminal proceedings on legal and constitutional grounds.
The same remarks also form part of Article IV of the impeachment complaint currently being tried before the Senate impeachment court.
Arrest Warrant Was Already Issued
The latest ruling follows a series of rapid developments in the case.
On September 4, QC RTC Branch 98 issued an arrest warrant after finding probable cause to proceed against Duterte on the three grave threats charges.
The court set bail at ₱120,000 per count, or ₱360,000 for all three charges.
Duterte posted bail the following day.
The warrant and bail proceedings did not resolve the underlying criminal case. They allowed the case to proceed while Duterte continues to challenge it through her lawyers.
Her Arraignment Was Deferred
Duterte was scheduled to be arraigned on September 11, but the proceedings were postponed after her lawyers filed the motion seeking the judge’s inhibition.
Her counsel confirmed that the defense had asked the court to defer the arraignment while the judge considered their motion.
The Department of Justice said it respected the court’s decision to postpone the proceedings and would allow the judicial process to take its course.
The Daily Tribune reported that the arraignment had been tentatively moved to October 9, although developments in the case and Duterte’s other pending legal challenges could affect the schedule.
Duterte Is Also Challenging the Case Before the Supreme Court
The fight over Judge De Ramos is only one part of Duterte’s broader legal strategy.
Her lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to halt the criminal proceedings, arguing that a sitting impeachable official enjoys what they describe as limited procedural immunity while in office.
The defense has argued that criminal proceedings against an incumbent impeachable official should not continue while the impeachment process is ongoing.
Duterte’s camp has sought injunctive relief from the Supreme Court, warning that the trial proceedings could advance before the high court resolves the constitutional questions raised by the defense.
The Supreme Court has not, based on the reports reviewed for this article, issued a final ruling resolving Duterte’s broader immunity argument.
Why the Latest Court Ruling Matters
The denial of the inhibition motion removes one immediate obstacle to the QC RTC proceedings.
Had the judge granted the motion, another judge would have had to take over the case, potentially creating another procedural delay.
Instead, Judge De Ramos remains assigned to Branch 98, meaning the court can continue handling the criminal proceedings unless a higher court orders otherwise.
That makes the Supreme Court challenge particularly important to the defense.
A Legal Battle on Two Fronts
Duterte now faces simultaneous legal pressure on two fronts.
The QC RTC case concerns the three criminal charges arising from her 2024 statements.
At the same time, the Supreme Court proceedings involve Duterte’s constitutional and jurisdictional arguments challenging the continuation of the criminal case while she remains Vice President.
And separately, the Vice President continues to face an impeachment trial before the Senate, where the same controversial statements are among the allegations being examined.
The convergence of those proceedings makes the coming weeks especially significant for Duterte.
What Happens Next?
The immediate question is when Duterte will finally enter her plea in the grave threats case.
The denial of her motion means the judge will remain in place, but the defense still has other avenues available, including its pending Supreme Court challenge.
For now, the QC court has made its position clear: the defense has not presented sufficient evidence to establish that Judge De Ramos is biased or should recuse herself.
Duterte’s camp, meanwhile, has signaled that it intends to continue fighting through every available legal remedy.
The judge will stay on the case—but with Duterte’s Supreme Court challenge still pending, the next ruling could determine whether the grave threats proceedings finally move into the trial phase or face another major legal roadblock.
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