Philippine court issues warrant for VP Duterte’s arrest in grave threats case

On Friday, a Philippine court issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte, alleging she made grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the first lady, and a former House speaker. The court also set bail at 120,000 pesos ($1,900) for each of the three counts of grave threats. While jurisdiction may be an issue, Duterte maintains she will not flee from the law and will pursue all legal options.

The case originated from Duterte's comments made in November 2024, in which she reportedly spoke to an assassin and instructed him to kill Marcos, his wife, and the then-Philippine House speaker if she were killed. Duterte has denied making such threats.

The allegations against Duterte are also part of the impeachment complaint filed against her, which she is currently facing in a Senate trial in the role of an impeachment court. A guilty verdict could result in her removal from office and hinder her plans to run for president in 2028. Duterte is additionally accused of misusing public funds during her tenure as vice president and education minister. She has consistently denied any wrongdoing.