Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte posted bail on Saturday after a trial court ordered her arrest on three counts of grave threats linked to comments she made about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the first lady and a former House speaker.
The arrest order marks an escalation in Duterte’s legal troubles as she also faces an impeachment trial in the Senate, a process that, if it ends in conviction, could remove her from office and derail her 2028 presidential bid.
It is the latest development in a feud between the Philippines’ dominant political dynasties. Marcos and Duterte, both children of former presidents, formed an alliance in 2022 that allowed them to sweep to power before they fell out in 2024.
Dressed in black and surrounded by dozens of police officers, Duterte told reporters outside the court that she did not feel safe and accused authorities of harassment.
She said the case’s involvement of the president, the first lady and Marcos’ cousin heightened her fears.
“If I post bail, the harassment won’t stop. If I don’t post bail, I’ll be taken to the police. I have no trust in the police, I have no trust in the courts. I do not feel safe at all,” Duterte said.
She asked who would be held accountable “if I die tonight”, saying police would simply “wash their hands and call it an accident”.
The police accorded the vice president the respect she deserved, Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla said when asked to comment on Duterte’s remarks.
“It’s very unfortunate that all the pressure in her life is affecting her perception,” Remulla said in a phone message.
Marcos’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Duterte’s remarks about her safety. The office said on Friday that it would respect any decision or order issued by the court.
The court found probable cause to try Duterte on all three counts and set bail at $1,900 (120,000 pesos) per count.
The case stems from a November 2024 online press conference in which Duterte said she had spoken to an assassin and instructed him to kill Marcos, his wife, Liza Araneta Marcos, and his cousin, then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if she herself were killed. She has denied threatening them.
The alleged threats are also part of the impeachment complaint against her. Duterte also faces accusations of misusing public funds while serving as vice president and education secretary, allegations she rejects.
