Sara Duterte arraignment on grave threats raps deferred

Vice President Sara Duterte is seen here stepping out of the van to attend her arraignment at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court regarding the grave threats case against filed her. INQUIRER / JASON SIGALES [Updated as of 9:50 a.m.]

MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Friday deferred the arraignment of Vice President Sara Duterte’s three counts of grave threats.

Duterte’s lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim confirmed that RTC Branch 98 has postponed the arraignment, although he declined to provide details citing “sensitive” matters and “respect for the court.

“Hiningi namin na ipagpaliban muna yung kanyang arraignment dahil sa ilang mga dahilan. Ito ay pinagbigyan ng korte.”

(We asked that her arraignment be deferred for a number of reasons. This was allowed by the court.)

“Ngayon, pansamantala, habang ito ay pinag-iisipan pa niya yung aming mosyon, hindi muna matutuloy yung kanyang arraignment, so suspended muna,” he added.

(For now, while the court is considering our motion, her arraignment is suspended.)

He noted that the court has asked the prosecution to comment on the motion within a certain period, but he could not immediately say when.

Duterte personally appeared before the court on Friday to be arraigned.

The charges against Duterte stem from her November 2024 remarks claiming to have supposedly contacted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and presidential cousin and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed.

The same statements constitute one of the Articles of Impeachment against her that are still being tried before the Senate.

“Ang bise presidente naman ay sumusunod sa batas kahit kinikwestyon niya yung jurisdiction ng korte,” Lim maintained.

(The vice president follows the law even if she questions the jurisdiction of the court.)

He also noted that their camp had asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order to block the proceedings before the Quezon City court, citing her claimed immunity from suit as a sitting impeachable official./dp