Sara Duterte Posts Bail for Grave Threats Case, Expresses Safety Concerns

Vice President Sara Duterte posted bail on Saturday, September 5, at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) after an arrest warrant was issued for her on three counts of grave threats. Duterte arrived dressed in black with her lawyers and expressed visible distress, stating, "I do not feel safe. I do not feel safe anywhere. I only came here because you told me I needed to appear in court." The Vice President voiced concerns about her security and repeatedly claimed distrust in authorities. She also sought to have media present inside the courtroom during her bail processing, a request that was met with explanations from her lawyers that journalists could only accompany them up to the court's staircase. Duterte invoked the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983 as a cautionary tale regarding safety on staircases. Afterward, Duterte posted P360,000 in bail. Upon leaving the court, she hugged two crying women, identified as supporters concerned about her safety. Duterte's lawyers confirmed that the routine bail procedure was conducted, and the court issued an order lifting the arrest warrant. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla stated that the Philippine National Police knew of her whereabouts the night before but did not force the warrant of arrest, indicating that Duterte was accorded all the respect her position deserves. However, Duterte insisted that police still went to them even after her court appearance, continuing to express her safety fears. Duterte's claims of security threats are not new; they were part of the four articles of impeachment against her in the Senate. However, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had previously stated in July that it found no evidence of these alleged threats. Her lawyers advised her to post bail to avoid detention, though grave threats are a bailable offense. Courts are also permitted to handle bail procedures on weekends, a provision Duterte utilized. She underwent standard booking procedures like fingerprinting but was spared a mugshot as she surrendered to the court's jurisdiction. Some human rights advocates have noted that Duterte may have received preferential treatment compared to activists arrested during protests, who faced detention due to weekend court closures. Information Source: Rappler Philippines