MANILA (September 5) — Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday morning appeared at the Quezon City Hall of Justice; her lawyer, Michael Poa, said, “Pag ganito naman talaga surrender.”
In facing a court officer as shown in videos, Duterte said she fears for her life and the safety of her children as she appeared at the Quezon City Hall of Justice, a day after a court issued a warrant for her arrest over three counts of grave threats.
Duterte arrived at the court on Saturday morning to comply with the proceedings following the issuance of the warrant by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98.
In a statement released upon her arrival, Duterte said she had documented threats and harassment against her since 2023.
“I have documented threats and harassment since 2023. I fear for my children. I do not feel they are safe if I am with them,” Duterte said.
She also claimed that police went to the place where she had been staying despite her having left to go to court.
“Umalis na nga ako kung nasaan mga anak ko para pumunta sa korte pero pumunta pa rin ang pulis. I do not feel safe. Pakiramdam ko papatayin nila ako.”
(“I had already left where my children were to go to court but the police still went there. I do not feel safe. I feel like they are going to kill me.”)
Duterte, however, did not provide details in her statement about the threats and harassment she said she had documented since 2023, nor did she identify the police officers she referred to.
The Quezon City RTC issued the arrest warrant on Friday, September 4, after finding probable cause to hold Duterte for trial on three counts of grave threats.
The court set bail at P120,000 per count, or P360,000 in total.
Duterte’s lawyers had earlier said she would not evade the law and would pursue all legal remedies available to her.
On Saturday, lawyer Michael Poa said Duterte was considered to have surrendered to authorities as she prepared to comply with the process for posting bail.
The National Bureau of Investigation said Duterte could post bail even on Saturday, with the NBI and police authorized to implement the warrant.
The criminal case stems from Duterte’s online press briefing in November 2024, during which she said she had spoken to someone and instructed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez be killed if she herself were killed.
Duterte has denied that her remarks constituted a criminal threat, saying they had been “maliciously taken out of logical context.”
The Department of Justice filed the three counts of grave threats in August after an investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation.
Duterte earlier challenged the criminal proceedings through a motion to quash, arguing that as an impeachable official, she enjoys limited procedural immunity while in office under the 1987 Constitution.
The Quezon City court denied the motion for lack of merit before issuing the warrant.-/ezc
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