Sara Duterte Arraignment Deferred as Court Defers to Supreme Court Ruling

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) said it respects the decision of a Quezon City court to defer Vice President Sara Duterte’s arraignment on Friday as a petition challenging the court’s jurisdiction over her grave threats case remains pending before the Supreme Court. Duterte arrived at the Hall of Justice on Friday morning for her scheduled arraignment before Branch 98 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC), but left just minutes later after the proceedings were deferred. Her lawyers declined to disclose the reason for the postponement. “The DOJ respects the court’s decision to defer the arraignment pending resolution of the motion filed by the defense,” DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez told reporters in a statement. “We will allow the judicial process to take its course. At this point, the prosecution will reserve further comment until the motion has been resolved.” Asked to clarify what the grounds were for the postponement, Martinez said it could not further characterize or discuss the contents of the pending motion. “At least not yet,” he added. READ: VP Sara Duterte seeks TRO on grave threats case In the 28-page petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by Duterte last month, the Vice President urged the Supreme Court to immediately resolve her petition seeking to stop her criminal prosecution for grave threats, fearing that it would be rendered moot as proceedings before a Quezon City court continue. She specifically asked the high tribunal to issue an order or a writ for the respondents to cease and desist from further prosecuting Duterte for grave threats while she is still in office. The respondents are Presiding Judge Maria Angelica de Ramos of Quezon City RTC Branch 98, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon and the cybercrime division of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). An urgent motion for the resolution of her application for a TRO and/or writ of preliminary injunction was filed on Sept. 7, two days after she posted bail, as she asserted that she is spared from being sued as a sitting impeachable official. Duterte is facing three counts of grave threats for her outburst in an online press conference in November 2024 wherein she said that she hired a hitman to target President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if ever she is killed. /jpv