PHILIPPINE COURT ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR VICE PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE OVER ALLEGED THREATS

A Philippine trial court has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte following allegations that she made serious threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The warrant was issued on Friday, September 4, 2026, after Duterte was charged with three counts of grave threats. The court set bail at 120,000 Philippine pesos, equivalent to about $1,900, for each of the charges.

The case is connected to remarks Duterte made in 2024 in which she said she had spoken with an assassin and instructed the person to kill Marcos, his wife and Romualdez if she herself were killed. Philippine authorities subsequently investigated the comments, which became a major point of contention between Duterte and the Marcos administration.

Duterte has denied making threats against the three individuals. Her lawyer said the Vice President intends to pursue all available legal remedies following the issuance of the warrant.

The criminal case has added another layer to the increasingly bitter political conflict between the Duterte and Marcos families. Sara Duterte served as vice president alongside Marcos after the two political families formed an electoral alliance, but their relationship later deteriorated amid disagreements over political priorities and the country's leadership.

The alleged threats have also featured prominently in impeachment proceedings against Duterte. A conviction in the impeachment case could result in her removal from office and potentially affect her political ambitions, including any plans to seek the presidency in the 2028 elections.

The Vice President is also facing separate allegations concerning the alleged misuse of public funds during her time as vice president and as education secretary. She has denied those accusations as well.

The latest warrant does not establish Duterte's guilt. The allegations will have to be tested through the Philippine judicial process, while the Vice President retains the right to challenge the charges and defend herself in court.

The development is particularly significant because Sara Duterte remains one of the Philippines' most prominent political figures and the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently facing a separate case before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The ICC confirmed charges of crimes against humanity against the former president in April 2026.