A Philippine court has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte, a leading candidate in the upcoming presidential election.
On September 5, local time, Reuters and AFP reported that the court had issued the warrant for Duterte, who faces three counts of 'serious threats,' setting bail at 360,000 Philippine pesos (approximately $6,500).
Duterte is accused of threatening to instruct her bodyguards to kill President Marcos and others if she were assassinated. In November 2024, she allegedly stated, "If I am killed, I told my bodyguards to kill BBM (initials of President Marcos), Liza Araneta (the First Lady), and Martin Romualdez (Marcos' cousin and then-Speaker of the House). This is not a joke."
If found guilty, Duterte could face up to six months in prison and be removed from her position as vice president, potentially jeopardizing her plans to run in the 2028 election.
The allegations are also a key part of the impeachment complaint against her, which passed the House of Representatives in May.
In addition to the assassination threats, she faces accusations of misusing public funds during her tenure as vice president and Secretary of Education.
The Senate, which has received the impeachment complaint, is currently conducting the final impeachment trial. If two-thirds of the 24 senators vote in favor of impeachment, Duterte will be removed from office and barred from holding public office for life.
However, AFP reported that the likelihood of Duterte being detained due to this warrant appears low.
Duterte is expected to apply for bail and may contest the warrant's validity in a higher court.
Her legal team issued a statement saying, "She has no intention of evading the law and will pursue all legal remedies available to her."
In the 2022 election, Vice President Duterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was elected alongside President Marcos, establishing a strong political alliance between their families.
Since then, the Marcos administration has taken a pro-U.S. stance, clashing with China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, in contrast to the pro-China approach of former President Duterte. Disagreements over constitutional amendments and issues in the southern Mindanao region have led to increasing tensions between the two factions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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