Philippine court issues arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte

A Philippine court issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte over alleged grave threats, her lawyer said Friday.

Paul Lawrence Lim said Duterte would “not evade” the law and would continue to pursue legal remedies, according to the daily Manila Times.

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court issued the arrest warrant and set bail at 120,000 pesos ($1,900) for each count.

The Department of Justice filed three “grave threat” charges against Duterte over her “assassination” remarks concerning President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez, according to the Philippines News Agency.

Duterte made the remarks during an online news conference in November 2024, saying they would be assassinated if she were killed.

Duterte, 48, is the 15th and youngest vice president of the Southeast Asian nation. She was elected alongside Marcos in 2022 for a fixed six-year term.

Marcos’ office said it “respects any decision of or directive from the court.”

The vice president is also facing an impeachment trial in parliament.

Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, entered politics in 2007 when she was elected vice mayor of Davao City, serving until 2010.

She was elected mayor of Davao City in 2010 and served until 2013. She later won mayoral elections in 2016 and 2019.