VP Sara Duterte Appears at QC Hall of Justice, Cites Safety Concerns

Vice President Sara Duterte arrived at the Quezon City Hall of Justice on Saturday morning, a day after an arrest warrant was issued against her for grave threats. In a statement made at the court, Duterte said she has documented threats and harassment against her and her children since 2023 and does not feel safe. "I fear for my children. I do not feel they are safe if I am with them," she said, noting that police had gone to where her children were. "I feel they will kill me. I do not feel safe," the vice president stated. The Quezon City (QC) Regional Trial Court Branch 98 issued the arrest warrant against Duterte in connection with her grave threats case. In its order, the court stated that after considering the oral arguments and evidence presented by both parties, it found probable cause to hold the accused for trial for the crimes charged in the Informations. Presiding Judge Maria Angelica P. De Ramos set the bail at P120,000 each for three counts of grave threats in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175. In early August, the Department of Justice filed three counts of grave threats against the vice president over remarks she made about hiring an individual to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez, should an alleged plot against her succeed. Duterte's lawyer stated on Friday that the vice president would face these charges head-on. "Regardless of the question on jurisdiction, she has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies," lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim said in a statement. The prosecution of a politician, especially one holding the office of Vice President, often draws significant public attention in the Philippines. Such legal proceedings serve as a test of how principles like equality before the law and judicial independence are upheld. Furthermore, the Vice President's expressed security concerns highlight the prevailing political tensions and security challenges faced by high-ranking officials in the country.