Sara Duterte: DILG chief Remulla wanted drama, look at Romualdez arrest

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday hit back at Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, saying he was the one who “wanted drama” in relation to the latter’s remarks that she supposedly wanted to be jailed in Camp Crame amid the order to arrest her for grave threats. “The real drama, if you will see, was the arrest of Martin Romualdez,” Duterte said, referring to the arrest of then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez last Monday. Romualdez was arrested for plunder in connection with over P7 billion worth of alleged kickbacks in various government projects from 2022 to 2025. He was served his arrest warrant and subjected to booking procedures while in his hospital bed at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City due to a variety of purported ailments including a “cardiovascular event” and an anxiety attack. Duterte faces three counts of grave threats before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 in connection with her November 2024 remarks claiming to have contacted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House Speaker Romualdez if she was killed. The court ordered her arrest last Sept. 4. She posted P360,000 in bail the following day. Last Monday, Abalos claimed that Duterte initially wanted to be detained in Camp Crame despite the charges against her being bailable. “They wanted drama. They wanted her detained. We didn’t allow it. We wanted to go according to the rules of law and the rules of court,” Abalos said. In response to Abalos’s claims, Duterte said, “In the coming days, we will release a statement regarding this.” This exchange highlights the complex political dynamics at play in the Philippines, particularly concerning high-profile figures and the legal system. The differing accounts of events and the public nature of their disagreements suggest underlying tensions within the administration.