VP Accuses Palace of Political Harassment Amid Arrest Warrant

VICE-PRESIDENT (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio accused the Marcos administration of subjecting her to political harassment, days after police served her a warrant of arrest for alleged grave threats. In a statement on Monday, Ms. Duterte said she had received information as early as 2024 about alleged plans by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. against her, including an International Criminal Court warrant for her father, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, and attacks against her. “I trust only the Filipino people, and I am deeply grateful for your continued trust despite the unrelenting political harassment from the Marcos administration,” Ms. Duterte said in a separate video message in Filipino. “Even if Marcos controls the senators, prosecutors, judges, and police, there are many lawyers helping me fight these cases and ensure that we win them,” she added. The allegations came after a local court issued a warrant on Sept. 4 over three counts of grave threats. The court found probable cause for trial and set bail at P120,000 for each count. Ms. Duterte posted bail on Saturday. Interior Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla denied harassment, saying police personnel who served the warrant at her office and residence were unarmed women and that no SWAT team was deployed. “We accorded her all the respect and courtesy,” Mr. Remulla said, adding that police coordinated with her security team and offered her accommodation at Camp Crame. Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro rejected Ms. Duterte’s allegations, saying there was no record of threats against the Vice-President from the police or National Bureau of Investigation. She also disputed Ms. Duterte’s claim that the administration planned attacks against her, saying the allegation had not been raised in 2024. “There is no evidence or record that can be presented to support this,” she told reporters at a news briefing. Ms. Duterte said the administration was responsible for her inability to do more to ease Filipinos’ suffering from flooding, hunger and rising prices, and cited the continued depreciation of the peso against the US dollar. “The real pressure is the shame that I am doing so little to help ease your suffering now,” she said. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking