Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte is now facing three counts of grave threats after Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors filed the case against her on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. The charges stem from remarks she made in 2024, when she allegedly said she had arranged for someone to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House speaker Martin Romualdez should she be killed first.
According to a news report, DOJ spokesperson Raphael Martinez confirmed that the complaint was lodged with the Office of the Clerk of Court at around 1:30 pm on the same day. This is the same allegation being tackled in Duterte’s ongoing impeachment trial at the Senate.
What Sparked the Case
The controversy traces back to Duterte’s midnight virtual press conference on November 23, 2024. During that briefing, she told supporters not to worry about her safety, saying she had already “talked to someone” who would carry out the killing of Marcos and his family members if anything happened to her. At the time, she stressed that she was not joking.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) looked into the matter and filed criminal complaints in November 2025 for both grave threats and inciting to sedition.
DOJ’s Finding
By moving forward with the charges, prosecutors signaled they found prima facie evidence — enough proof to reasonably support a conviction. The inciting to sedition complaint, however, was dismissed. Only the grave threats counts made it to court.
Duterte’s Defense Responds
Duterte’s legal team said they had anticipated the filing and were prepared for it. Her lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim, argued that the Vice President remains presumed innocent and is confident the charges will eventually be thrown out.
Lim also raised a key point: as a sitting impeachable officer, Duterte should not be prosecuted for an offense already covered by her impeachment case. “The Vice President will exercise all available legal remedies in due course,” he said.
Can Both Cases Proceed?
University of the Philippines College of Law professor Dan Gatmaytan explained that the criminal case and the impeachment trial can run at the same time, even with identical allegations.
He noted the two follow different standards. A criminal conviction requires proof beyond reasonable doubt, while impeachment does not demand the same level of evidence.