4th September 2026 – (Manila) A Quezon City Regional Trial Court, Branch 98, has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte on three counts of grave threats, according to statements from her legal team and the Department of Justice. The move follows August oral arguments on Duterte’s bid to quash the case and defer any warrant, which the court denied. Judge Maria Angelica T. de Ramos signed the warrant, her court’s clerk confirmed.
The charges stem from remarks in which Duterte said she had spoken to someone who would kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta‑Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed. The DOJ said it respects the court’s decision and reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, while Duterte’s counsel said she has no intention of evading the process and will exhaust legal remedies.
Duterte’s case proceeds against the backdrop of ongoing political scrutiny involving senior figures. Romualdez, who resigned as Speaker in 2025 and remains a member of the House, has faced separate controversies unrelated to this case.