A Philippine court has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte following allegations of death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and a former congressman. This decision was announced on Friday, according to reports from AFP.
The 48-year-old Duterte was charged last month with making “serious threats” after she claimed in a press conference that she had hired a hitman to kill the president, his wife, and their relative, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if she herself were killed.
This alleged threat is a key element in the Senate impeachment proceedings against Duterte. A conviction could result in her removal from office and a permanent ban on holding public office.
Polo Martinez, spokesperson for the Department of Justice, confirmed the issuance of the warrant, noting that a regional court in Quezon City had rejected a request to delay its execution.
However, the warrant is not expected to lead to Duterte’s immediate arrest, as she is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
According to Paolo Tamase, a law professor at the University of the Philippines, her lawyers are expected to seek bail, possibly as early as Friday. Tamase also indicated that the warrant could be challenged in a higher court.
Sara Duterte was charged in May by the House of Representatives, primarily for corruption and embezzlement. A conviction by the Senate could jeopardize her presidential ambitions for 2028.
The Philippines is currently experiencing significant political tensions following a rift between President Ferdinand Marcos and Sara Duterte, who was his ally during the 2022 elections.
The disagreements surfaced when Marcos appointed her as Secretary of Education—a position she later resigned from in June 2024—rather than Secretary of National Defense, which she aspired to hold.
Several months ago, Sara Duterte still enjoyed substantial support in the Senate and backing from two influential Christian sects that organized mass demonstrations in her favor.
