Arrest Warrant Issued for Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte
A Philippine trial court issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday, related to charges accusing her of threatening the lives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, and his cousin, Martin Romualdez, who was the speaker of the Philippine House during the incidents in November 2024.
Duterte, who is the daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, assumed office in June 2022 alongside Marcos, who is also from a politically prominent family. Their political journey was framed as a means of healing the substantial political divides in the Philippines following their landslide election victories.
The political narrative surrounding them was complicated, given their fathers’ controversial legacies—Ferdinand Marcos was a notorious dictator, and Rodrigo Duterte has faced serious allegations regarding human rights abuses during his war on drugs.
However, the alliance between Marcos and Duterte deteriorated quickly, marred by serious disagreements on pivotal issues such as foreign relations with China and the U.S. Marcos tends to favor pro-American policies, while Duterte is more aligned with China. The two have also clashed over constitutional reforms, peace initiatives with communist insurgents, and aspirations for the independence of Mindanao, where the Duterte family has significant influence.
The rift also has a personal dimension, particularly visible through the apparent animosity expressed by Araneta-Marcos towards the Duterte family. Both families are eyeing the presidency after Marcos Jr. completes his term in 2028, as he cannot run again due to term limits—he has a proxy candidate in mind, while Sara Duterte is pushing for the presidency herself.
In a striking moment during an online press conference in November 2024, Duterte startled viewers by claiming she had hired an assassin to kill Marcos Jr., his wife, and the speaker should anything happen to her. This followed closely on the heels of previous inflammatory remarks where she expressed a desire to decapitate the president and made threats involving the remains of his father.
While Marcos Jr. initially seemed to overlook her more sensational comments, his administration did not take her assassination claim lightly. The Philippine national police and military increased security around the president, which led to formal charges being filed against Duterte.
Duterte later attempted to clarify her statements by suggesting they were misinterpreted, asserting she was merely voicing concerns for her safety. She questioned the logic behind wanting to eliminate the president, emphasizing the lack of benefit for her in such an act.
Earlier this year, in May, Duterte faced impeachment proceedings due to her death threats and allegations of financial misconduct, following which she has been undergoing a trial in the Philippine Senate since July. Depending on the outcome, she could face disqualification from future office.
On Friday, Duterte’s attorneys indicated that she will not try to evade the arrest warrant, opting instead to post bail and contest the charges in court. Her bail is set at $1,900 U.S. for each threat charge.
Duterte’s legal counsel Paul Lawrency Lim remarked that the Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s decision to issue the warrant was notable, considering a defense motion on jurisdiction was presented last week, arguing that the vice-presidential role offers limited procedural immunity, thus questioning the court’s authority over her prosecution.
