VP Sara Duterte posts bail in QC TRC over grave threats charges
COURT APPEARANCE. Vice President Sara Z. Duterte (right) speaks with members of her legal team before entering the Quezon City Hall of Justice on Saturday (Sept. 5, 2026). Duterte has been issued an arrest warrant for grave threats directed at President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez during an online press conference in November 2024.(PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)
QUEZON CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday morning, 5 September 2026, posted bail at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 98 following the issuance of an arrest warrant against her on Friday, 4 September 2026.
The arrest order, handed down by Presiding Judge Maria Angelica De Ramos after finding probable cause, stems from three counts of grave threats related to remarks Duterte allegedly made in November 2024 concerning President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Upon her arrival at the Quezon City Hall of Justice under heavy security, Duterte delayed entering the court premises, stating that she did not feel safe. She voiced strong hesitation, citing safety concerns and expressing deep distrust in both law enforcement and the judiciary. Drawing a parallel to the 1983 assassination of former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., Duterte remarked that he was killed on a staircase, alleging she could face a similar fate. Following brief discussions alongside her legal counsel, she requested that members of the press accompany her inside to observe the proceedings on the fifth floor.
Duterte subsequently completed the booking process and paid a total of ₱360,000 in bail—₱120,000 for each count—accompanied by her lawyers, Atty. Michael Poa and Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim. Following the processing, the RTC issued an order officially lifting the warrant of arrest. Her office has not provided specific details regarding the harassment she claimed to have documented since 2023.
