Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte posted bail on Saturday after a court order was issued for her arrest the previous day. She faced charges alleging that she publicly threatened to arrange the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Duterte emerged from Quezon City Regional Trial Court in a black outfit and displayed a court document to reporters. She expressed concerns about her safety and questioned the administration’s intentions toward her.
According to her attorney Paul Lawrence Lim, Duterte’s fingerprints were taken and she posted 360,000 pesos bail for three counts of grave threats. Her legal team stated she has no intention of evading the law and will pursue available legal remedies. Duterte has denied the allegations, later stating she was expressing concern for her own safety rather than threatening the president.
The charges stem from remarks made during a 2024 online news conference in which Duterte said she would have the three individuals killed by an assassin if she herself was killed amid escalating political disputes. The case is viewed as a significant political conflict between Duterte and Marcos. A conviction could permanently disqualify her from public office and prevent her from seeking the presidency when Marcos’s six-year term ends.
The House of Representatives, controlled by Marcos allies, voted overwhelmingly in May to impeach Duterte on allegations including unexplained wealth, misuse of confidential state funds, and the online news conference threats. The Philippine Senate opened her televised impeachment trial in July. Marcos and Duterte ran as a ticket in the 2022 elections, representing an alliance of two prominent political dynasties but have since become political adversaries with differing positions on geopolitical matters and domestic issues.
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