Why Sara Duterte's Saturday Bail and Lack of Mugshot Spark Questions

Questions are swirling around Vice President Sara Duterte's posting of bail on a Saturday, the day after an arrest warrant was issued for alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, with some alleging special treatment. However, the Philippine judicial system has provisions for weekend bail processing. Duterte faces three counts of grave threats for alleged assassination threats against the President and his family during a 2024 press conference. On September 4, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 98 ordered her arrest and set bail at P120,000 for each count. Duterte and her lawyers did not appear in court that day. Despite it being a Saturday, September 5, Duterte posted bail. According to Supreme Court rules, bail can be posted anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstances. Courts are assigned to handle urgent matters, including bail petitions, during nights and weekends to prevent prolonged detention when government offices are closed. Sources familiar with court operations indicate that one judge is typically assigned on Saturdays, usually from 8 am to 1 pm, to process bail and sign release orders after the accused posts bail. In Duterte's case, the judge assigned for the weekend processed her bail. Regarding the absence of a mugshot, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government stated that Duterte was accorded "all the respect that her position deserves." The police had the opportunity to arrest her but allowed her to surrender voluntarily to the court's jurisdiction. Voluntary surrender can be a mitigating circumstance and may spare an accused from having mugshots taken, though standard booking procedures like fingerprinting still occurred. Her lawyer mentioned submitting photos to the court in lieu of mugshots, a practice allowed by court circulars under specific conditions. These events highlight public interest in the transparency and fairness of judicial processes in the Philippines. Source: Rappler Philippines