Sara Duterte posts bail for grave threats case, cites safety concerns

Vice President Sara Duterte entered the Quezon City Hall of Justice before noon Saturday to post bail for her grave threats case, following discussions with her lawyers. The Vice President repeatedly stated that she felt unsafe, even in the presence of her own security detail. Similar to her pronouncements to journalists on the scene, Duterte said in a statement Saturday that she does not feel safe. "I have documented threats and harassment since 2023. I fear for my children. I do not feel they are safe if I am with them," she said. "I already left the place where my children were to go to court but the police still went there," Duterte added. "I do not feel safe. I feel they will kill me," the vice president said. Duterte did not appear before the Quezon City court on Friday, the day the arrest warrant was issued. QC Regional Trial Court Branch 98 issued the arrest warrant over three counts of grave threats against Duterte after finding probable cause to hold her for trial. Additional police forces were deployed at the Hall of Justice on Friday, with cops bringing inside the building a backdrop used for taking mugshots. Policemen were deployed to the area on Saturday morning as well. In early August, the DOJ filed three counts of grave threats against the vice president over her remarks that she hired an individual to kill President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez, should an alleged plot against her succeeds. Following this, Duterte filed a motion to quash on the ground of jurisdiction, arguing that she and other impeachable officers have limited procedural immunity while in office under the 1987 Constitution. The court held the oral arguments on the motion in August. In its order, the QC Regional Trial Court Branch 98 said it found probable cause to hold Duterte for trial. “Together with its supporting evidence, and after due consideration of the arguments raised by both parties in their oral arguments, the Court finds that there is probable cause to hold the accused for trial for the crimes charged in the Informations,” it said. Bail was set at P120,000 per count. — VDV, GMA News