Sara Duterte posts bail over Marcos threat case

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte posted bail at a Manila courthouse on Saturday, a day after an arrest warrant was issued over an alleged death threat against President Ferdinand Marcos, his wife and a congressman cousin.

Duterte posted a cash bond totalling 360,000 pesos, or about $5,740, her lawyer Lawrence Lim said. Lim said she voluntarily appeared before the court that issued the warrant, so she did not need to be arrested. He said she also underwent standard booking, with her fingerprints recorded, but no mugshots taken.

Duterte was charged last month with “grave threats” after a late-night news briefing in which she claimed to have hired a hitman to kill Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and a congressman cousin if she were killed first. She later said the comments had been misconstrued.

Duterte said her lawyers advised her to post bail for her safety. Before entering the courthouse, she told reporters she feared for her life and claimed she was being harassed by police.

The Philippine presidential palace rejected her comments as “unfounded”, saying police were carrying out their mandate to protect Filipinos. It said the administration would never allow police to be used to commit violence.

Under the Philippine legal code, a conviction on the grave threats charge could carry a jail term of up to six months. Duterte's legal team said on Friday that she had “no intention of evading the law” and would continue to use legal remedies.

Justice department officials have rejected her lawyers' argument that she cannot be prosecuted for offences also tied to her impeachment.

The alleged threat is a key part of Duterte's ongoing Senate impeachment trial. A guilty verdict would remove her from office, permanently ban her from politics and end her planned run for president in 2028.

Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives in May on charges that also included graft and corruption. Her Senate trial recently concluded its ninth week.