Sara Duterte Arrest Warrant: Grave Threats Case Explained

Quezon City Trial Court Issues Warrant Over Alleged Grave Threats

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court ordered the apprehension of Vice President Sara Duterte after the National Bureau of Investigation filed a criminal case accusing her of making grave threats, according to legal counsel Paul Lawrence. The charges stem from remarks made in November 2024, where Duterte stated she had spoken with an assassin and instructed him to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed. She has consistently denied threatening the country’s leaders.

Legal Defense and Planned Remedies From Duterte’s Camp

Responding to the court’s decision, Duterte’s legal team announced plans to challenge the move through existing legal channels. Regardless of the question on jurisdiction, she has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies, said lawyer Paul Lawrence, according to statements reported by local outlets. Her defense maintains that despite contesting the court’s authority over the matter, the Vice President will submit to the legal process while fighting the three counts.

Parallel Impeachment Proceedings at the Philippine Senate

This criminal indictment coincides with an ongoing impeachment trial against Duterte before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court, as detailed in independent reporting. The articles of impeachment incorporate the alleged grave threats as a core component of the case against her, framing the remarks as a betrayal of public trust. Lawmakers are also probing accusations regarding the alleged misuse of public funds during her tenure as Vice President and her previous role as education minister, allegations which she has repeatedly denied.

Broader Political Context Involving Former President Rodrigo Duterte

The legal pressure surrounding the Vice President unfolds alongside international proceedings involving her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. The elder Duterte faces a trial for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in November, stemming from the deadly anti-drug crackdowns overseen during his terms as Davao City mayor and national president between 2016 and 2022. Having been arrested in the Philippines last year before being transferred to The Hague, the former leader has denied all charges brought against him by the world court.