Sara Duterte posts bail for grave threats case at QC court

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, prompting it to issue an arrest warrant against her.

Shortly before she posted bail, Poa told reporters that Duterte was considered "surrendered."

GMA News' Jonathan Andal quoted Duterte's counsel Paul Lawrence Lim as saying the vice president did not have her mugshot taken inside the courtroom.

What was submitted was her own photo as she held a piece of paper indicating her name and the charges against her. Court staff took her fingerprints as part of the bail process.

The vice president later showed to journalists a copy of the court order indicating that the arrest warrant has been lifted.

She took the stairs to and from the QC RTC-Branch 98 inside the Hall of Justice, saying she wanted to be seen by the media amid her security concerns.

In a statement, Duterte said she does not feel safe.

"I have documented threats and harassment since 2023. I fear for my children. I do not feel they are safe if I am with them," she said.

"Umalis na nga ako kung nasaan mga anak ko para pumunta sa korte pero pumunta pa rin ang pulis," Duterte added.

"I do not feel safe. Pakiramdam ko papatayin nila ako," the vice president said.

Duterte did not to appear before the Quezon City court on Friday, the day that the warrant was issued. Additional police forces had been deployed at the Hall of Justice, with cops bringing inside the building a backdrop used for taking mugshots.

Policemen were securing the area on Saturday as well. Poa and Lim arrived at the Hall of Justice ahead of the vice president.

To recall, 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 Duterte’s motion in late August.

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

The vice president'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.

Wait for SC decision

In a statement following Duterte’s posting of bail, Lim said they will be waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision on their motion to quash on the ground of jurisdiction.

“Ngayon hinihintay na lang namin. Matutuloy lang ‘yung proseso sa korte. Pero siyempre habang tuloy na nililitis ‘yung kaso rito, tuloy din kine-question namin ang jurisdiction. Again we are awaiting the action of the SC also sa petition na finile namin," Lim said in a briefing with the media, according to a report by GMA News' Bea Pinlac.

(Now we are just waiting. The process will continue in court. But of course while the case is being tried here, we also continue to question the jurisdiction. Again we are awaiting the action of the SC also on the petition we have filed.)

In a separate report from Jonathan Andal of GMA News, Lim said Duterte underwent the usual booking procedure, where her fingerprints and pictures were taken, but without the participation of police.

"Wala namang special treatment na ibinigay sa ating Bise Presidente. She had to go to the same process," he added.

(No special treatment was given to the Vice President.) — with Jamil Santos/VDV/RSJ, GMA News