QC court issues arrest warrant vs. Sara Duterte over grave threats case

A Quezon City (QC) court has issued an arrest warrant against Vice President Sara Duterte over her grave threats case.

In its order, the QC Regional Trial Court Branch 98 said it found probable cause to hold Duterte for trial.

“Together with its supporting evidence, and after due consideration of the arguments raised by both parties in their oral arguments, the Court finds that there is probable cause to hold the accused for trial for the crimes charged in the Informations,” it said.

Duterte's lawyer said the vice president would face the charges head on.

"Regardless of the question on jurisdiction, she has no intention of evading the law and will continue to exercise all her legal remedies," lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim, her counsel, said in a statement.

The DOJ said the court set the bail at P120,000 per count.

“As a matter of procedure, warrants of arrest are transmitted directly by the Court to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for implementation,” the DOJ said in a statement.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla told reporters that the warrant has been transmitted to Duterte's lawyers, and that they plan to post bail immediately.

“Their lawyers confirmed that they received the warrant and they intend to post bail ASAP,” Remulla said.

In early August, the DOJ filed three counts of grave threats against the vice president over her remarks that she hired an individual to kill President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez, should an alleged plot against her succeed.

Following this, Duterte filed a motion to quash on the ground of jurisdiction, arguing that she and other impeachable officers have limited procedural immunity while in office under the 1987 Constitution.

The court held the oral arguments on the motion in August.

Malacañang, meanwhile, said it respects the court’s decision.

“Ginagalang ng Palasyo ang anumang desision o kautusan ng korte,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a statement.

(The Palace respects any decision or order from the court.)

According to the DOJ, the court denied Duterte’s motion for lack of merit.

“The Department respects the Court’s ruling and reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law,” the DOJ said.

For her part, the vice president previously said her remarks were "maliciously taken out of logical context."

She also clarified that her "assassination" statement was not a threat, saying she only highlighted the alleged threat to her security.

Meanwhile, the complaint for inciting to sedition against the official over her remark was dismissed.

Duterte’s alleged grave threats against Marcos is also the basis of one of the Articles of Impeachment against her in the ongoing trial before the Senate impeachment court. — with a report from Giselle Ombay/ VDV, GMA News