LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte arraignment for grave threats (Sept. 11, 2026)

The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte is invoking her “limited procedural immunity” as her arraignment on grave threat charges has been postponed.

Duterte’s lawyer Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim on Friday said their camp is also questioning the jurisdiction of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) hearing the grave threat charges against the Vice President.

“Dalawang klaseng immunity po yan. Sa aming kaso dito sa RTC, hindi namin pinag-uusapan yung immunity ng Presidente. Bagamat yan ay pinag-uusapan na rin sa Korte Suprema sa ibang kaso,” Lim told reporters.

(There are two types of immunity. In our case here at the RTC, we are not talking about the immunity of the President. Although that is also being discussed in the Supreme Court in other cases.)

“Ang aming pinaguusapan dito sa RTC ay ang limited procedural immunity. Ibig sabihin, lahat ng mga impeachable officer, hindi lang naman ang bise presidente, ay hindi maaaring kasuhan habang sila ay nasa puwesto pa, hindi pa tapos ang kanilang panunungkulan, at hindi naman sila na-convict by impeachment,” he added.

(What we are talking about here at the RTC is limited procedural immunity. That means all impeachable officers, not just the vice president, cannot be charged while they are still in office, or their term has not ended, or they have not been convicted by impeachment.)

Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday said she has yet to receive any formal document requiring her to appear as a witness in her impeachment trial.

In an ambush interview, Duterte said she could not yet comment on matters concerning her possible appearance because she had not received any official document.

“Hindi ko muna masagot iyan dahil wala pa namang papel o dokumento na nagsasabi na kailangan kong mag-appear as witness for the prosecution,” she said.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday called on President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to step down from office during a rally at the Quezon City Hall following her rescheduled arraignment in relation to her grave threats case.

"Patuloy tayong manawagan ng paglayas ng problema ng ating bayan na ang pangalan ay Bongbong Marcos. Resign! Umalis ka dyan!" Duterte told her supporters.

(Let us continue to clamor that our nation's problem would leave. The name of that problem is Bongbong Marcos. Resign! Leave!)

"Sinungaling ka, abusado ka, wala siyang utang na loob sa taumbayan. Wala siyang utang na loob sa lahat ng pumunta ng presinto para iluklok siya sa pwesto. Wala siyang hiya. Ganoon talaga kapag adik. Hindi na dumadaan sa realidad ang pag-iisip. Patuloy tayong makipaglaban sa mga abusado, sa mga adik, at sa mga korap," she added.

(You're a liar, abusive. He has no debt of gratitude to our people and everyone who went to the precincts to put him in power. He has no shame. That's how it is with addicts. Their thoughts are not grounded on reality. Let us continue to fight the abusive ones, the addicts, and the corrupt.)

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court 98 on Friday postponed the arraignment of Vice President Sara Duterte on grave threat charges due to a motion for inhibition filed by her camp.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday arrived at Quezon City Hall of Justice for her arraignment on grave threat charges filed against her.

Supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte gathered near the Quezon City Hall early Friday ahead of her scheduled arraignment for the grave threats case.

The supporters started to arrive at around 5 a.m. as they brought placards and banners with a sign that says "Protect VP Sara."

On Thursday, the group Inday Sara Movement Philippines said that some 300 of Duterte’s supporters are expected to show up at the arraignment.

The camp of Vice President Sara Duterte has filed before the Supreme Court an urgent motion to resolve her application for a temporary restraining order in the grave threats case filed against her before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

The motion was filed on Monday, September 7, after the filing of the charges on Friday, September 4, and Duterte posting bail on Saturday, September 5.

Her arraignment is scheduled for Friday, September 11.

Vice President Sara Duterte will attend her arraignment at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Friday, September 11, her spokesman said on Thursday.

Duterte is currently facing three counts of grave threats following her public statements against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Arenata-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Asked if she would physically attend the court proceedings, Atty. Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. said, "Yes, as required by law."