Philippines VP Sara Duterte posts bail after arrest warrant over Marcos death plot

Manila, September 5 — Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte appeared before a Manila courthouse on Saturday, posting bail after an arrest warrant was issued for her alleged death threat against the country's president. Charged last month with "grave threats," Duterte claimed to have hired a hitman to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, his wife, and a congressman cousin if she were to be eliminated first.

She later said the comments were taken out of context. The threat also plays a pivotal role in her ongoing Senate impeachment trial, where a guilty verdict could result in her removal from office and a ban from politics for life. According to her lawyer, Lawrence Lim, Duterte voluntarily appeared before the court that issued the warrant, so no arrest was necessary.

Duterte expressed fear for her life before entering the courthouse, stating she did not want to post bail if no one was monitoring her. She suggested that if arrested, she might die in jail. Under Philippine law, a conviction on the "grave threats" charge could result in a six-month prison sentence. Duterte's legal team maintained she had no intention of evading the law and would continue to pursue all legal options.

The justice department disputed their claim that she could not be prosecuted for offenses connected to her impeachment. Impeached in May by the House of Representatives on charges of graft and corruption, Duterte's trial has been ongoing for nine weeks in the Senate. A guilty verdict there would effectively end her bid for the presidency in 2028, which she announced in February.