ICYMI LIVE UPDATES: Arrest warrant vs. Sara Duterte (September 5, 2026)

Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday accused the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) of political harassment after DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities knew her whereabouts on the night an arrest warrant was issued against her.

Duterte made the accusation in response to Remulla’s earlier remarks addressing her distrust of the court and the police, saying, “We knew of her whereabouts the night before, but we did not force the warrant of arrest.”

According to Duterte, Remulla’s statement supposedly amounted to an admission by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government agencies of a long-standing pattern of political harassment and surveillance against her.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Saturday said the Philippine National Police (PNP) accorded Vice President Sara Duterte all of the respect warranted of her position, issuing the statement following her remarks that she did not feel safe in the presence of policemen.

"It's very unfortunate that all the pressure in her life is affecting her perception. The PNP accorded her all the respect her position deserves," Remulla said in a statement.

When she posted bail Saturday at the Quezon City Hall of Justice over her grave threats case, Duterte said she did not trust the police. The vice president also said lawmen harassed her mother and child.

Remulla said all the deployed cops recorded body cam footage. 

"We have all the body cam footages of her warrants being served. We have all the body cam footages of her arrival to post bail. We knew of her whereabouts the night before but we did not force the warrant of arrest," Remulla said. 

House prosecution panel legal spokesperson Benjamin Tolosa Jr. on Saturday said the arrest warrant issued against Vice President Sara Duterte in connection with her grave threats case is separate from the ongoing impeachment proceedings against her.

“Para sa’min, that’s a separate proceeding, judicial proceeding that’s different from the impeachment proceedings. Iba ang nature niyan,” Tolosa told reporters at a news forum.

(For us, that’s a separate judicial proceeding that’s different from the impeachment proceedings. It has a different nature.)

Tolosa was referring to the three counts of grave threats filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Duterte over her remarks that she had hired an individual to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez should an alleged plot against her succeed.

On Friday, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 ordered Duterte’s arrest after finding probable cause to hold her for trial.

On Saturday, Duterte posted bail of P120,000 per count, prompting the QC court to lift the arrest warrant against her.

“Sa criminal case, ang dine-determine diyan is if may criminal liability, dapat ba siya makulong o hindi. Dito naman sa impeachment proceedings, ang dini-determine is fitness to remain in office,” Tolosa said.

A day after an arrest warrant was issued against Vice President Sara Duterte, she appeared before a court on Saturday to voluntarily surrender and post bail.

On Friday, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 issued a warrant of arrest against Duterte for three counts of grave threats after finding probable cause to hold her for trial.

The case stemmed from Duterte’s November 2024 remarks that she had ordered a person to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, Liza Araneta Marcos, and then-Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed.

Bail was set at P120,000 for each charge, requiring Duterte to post a total of P360,000.

Duterte’s legal counsel said her appearance before the court constituted a voluntary surrender. They also confirmed that the arrest warrant had been lifted following her appearance and the posting of bail.

However, Duterte did not have an official mugshot taken during the booking process. Instead, her camp submitted photos of her to the court. 

Duterte’s counsel, Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim, said a mugshot was unnecessary because such photographs are typically taken by police when a person is arrested.

“Hindi kailangan, kasi yung mugshot, yung kinukuha ng mga pulis 'yun lang ay pag inaresto. Again, the Vice President voluntarily appeared,” Lim said.

(It wasn't necessary because mugshots are only taken by police when a person is arrested. Again, the Vice President voluntarily appeared.)

Lim said Duterte nevertheless underwent the standard booking procedures for an accused person, including fingerprinting.

“Kasama lahat ng mga usual, yung picture, yung fingerprint,” he said.

(It included all the usual steps, such as taking her picture and fingerprints.)

"She went through the same process as any accused individual. There was no special treatment—she submitted all the requirements and posted bail."

Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday she preferred to post bail and seek civilian protection rather than stay under the watch of the police.

Duterte showed up at the Quezon City Hall of Justice to post bail together with her lawyers, a day after a court issued an arrest warrant against her over the alleged grave threats she made against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez.

"Nakipag-usap sa akin ang aking mga abogado at pinayuhan nila akong magpiyansa sa halip na manatili sa hiwalay na pagkakakulong habang nasa kustodiya ng pulisya. Ipinaliwanag nila na mas maaari akong maprotektahan ng mga sibilyan na makakakita at makakapansin sa aking kalagayan, kumpara sa pananatili sa detensyon kung saan ako ay nakahiwalay at mas mahina ang proteksiyon," Duterte said in a statement.

(My lawyers spoke to me and they advised me to post bail instead of remaining in separate detention in police custody. They explained to me that I can be better protected by civilians where I can be seen and my condition can be monitored, compared to remaining in detention where I am separated with weakened protection.) 

The Regional Trial Court Branch 98 of Quezon City lifted the arrest warrant against Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday after she posted bail for her grave threats case.

Duterte's lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim showed media a copy of the court order for the lifting of the arrest warrant, according to GMA News reporter Bea Pinlac.

According to the court document, Duterte posted bail in the amount of P120,000 for each count of grave threat. Duterte is facing charges for three counts of grave threat.

The court order also acknowledged receipt of the following documents submitted by Duterte:

1. barangay certification
2. photos of Duterte — left side, right side, and front (4 pieces each)
3. affidavit of undertaking dated Sept. 5, 2026 signed by Duterte
4. Duterte's profile
5. sketch and vicinity of Duterte's residence
6. photocopy of Duterte's PhilHealth ID

Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday posted bail at a Quezon City court, a day after the issuance of an arrest warrant against her over her grave threats case.

The QC Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 98 set the bail at P120,000 per count.

It found that there is probable cause to hold Duterte for trial, thus issuing an arrest warrant against her.

Vice President Sara Duterte is considered surrendered to authorities as she prepares to comply with the process to post bail for her grave threats case, her lawyer Michael Poa said Saturday.

"Well, yeah. Kapag ganito naman talagang surrendered," Poa told reporters at the Quezon City Hall of Justice.

(Well, yeah. In these situations, it's really surrendered.)

Quezon City (QC) Regional Trial Court Branch 98 on Friday issued the arrest warrant against Duterte over three counts of grave threats after finding probable cause to hold her for trial.