Arrest warrant issued for VP Sara Duterte; kin cry 'political harassment'

An arrest warrant has been issued for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, escalating political tensions within the country. On Saturday, before posting bail at the Quezon City Hall of Justice, Duterte expressed her unease, stating, “I do not feel safe at all. Who will be accountable if I die tonight? Who will be liable?” Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon responded by asserting that the Vice President herself must answer for the allegations. “You, Madam Vice President, need to be accountable and answer for the allegations you are facing. Enough drama. There would be no grave threats case now if not for the statements that became the basis for the case filed against you,” Ridon said in a statement. He urged her to "face the process and present your defense in court." Meanwhile, ML Party-list Representative Leila de Lima, who experienced five years of detention during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration on drug-related charges, commented that the issuance of the arrest warrant means the court found sufficient basis to examine the evidence against the Vice President. “VP Sara may not be used to being held accountable, but now she must answer the accusations against her in a criminal court. This shouldn’t have taken this long, but at least, it's finally happening,” De Lima said on Friday. In a separate Facebook post, De Lima questioned, “Why are they evading and afraid of due process?” Duterte’s relatives in the House of Representatives defended her and criticized the arrest warrant. Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte stated in a Facebook post after his sister posted bail, “I am with VP Inday. I am a Filipino, and I don’t feel safe.” In a separate statement, Pulong’s son, Davao City 2nd District Representative Omar Duterte, called the arrest warrant “a clear act of political harassment.” Omar Duterte likened the case to what was done to former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court and awaiting trial on crimes against humanity charges in connection with his administration’s war on drugs. "To the Filipino people, I ask you with all sincerity: please wake up and see what the current administration is doing,” Omar Duterte said. These developments point to a deepening political divide and power struggles within the Philippines, with the legal proceedings against the Vice President likely to have significant repercussions on the nation's political landscape.