The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday filed three counts of grave threats against Vice President Sara Duterte, marking a dramatic escalation in the legal and political challenges confronting the country’s second-highest official.
The DOJ confirmed that the case was lodged with the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court at 1:30 p.m. The separate complaint for inciting to sedition was dismissed.
The charges stem from Duterte’s remarks during a 2024 online press briefing, where she claimed she had ordered someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez if an alleged plot against her succeeded.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recommended charges in February 2025, with the DOJ reviewing the complaints until the Vice President’s impeachment trial commenced.
During the trial, NBI Director Melvin Matibag testified that the bureau considered a possible conspiracy involving Duterte and her brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte. The testimony underscored the gravity of the allegations and their potential implications for the Duterte political family.
In a statement, Duterte’s counsel Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim confirmed the filing of grave threats charges, stressing that the Vice President remains presumed innocent under the law. Lim argued that as an impeachable officer, Duterte cannot be prosecuted for an alleged offense that overlaps with her impeachment case. # (ZIA LUNA)
