Philippine VP Sara Duterte posts bail over threat remarks arrest order

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday posted bail of 360,000 pesos (about $5,760) for her grave threats case, according to local media reports.

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court in Metro Manila lifted the arrest warrant on Saturday against the vice president.

The Quezon City court Friday ordered her arrest on three counts of grave threats over remarks. During an online press briefing in November 2024, Sara said she had spoken to someone who would kill President Ferdinand Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.

Sara said that she made the remarks because of security concerns and they had been "maliciously taken out of logical context."

Sara's lawyers said in a statement on Friday that the vice president has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies.

In August, her lawyers argued that the court has no jurisdiction over the vice president, as criminal proceedings cannot be pursued against an impeachable official while an impeachment case is pending. However, the Philippine Department of Justice maintained that criminal proceedings and impeachment may proceed concurrently.

The Philippine Senate in July commenced the impeachment trial against Sara. The articles of impeachment accused her of corruption, assassination plots and patterns of abuse, among others. Sara has denied these allegations.

In February this year, Sara, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, announced her candidacy for the 2028 Philippine presidential election.