Duterte arrives at Quezon City court for arraignment

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte arrived at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Friday to face arraignment for the grave threats case filed against her.

Her spokesperson, lawyer Paolo Panelo Jr., earlier confirmed that she would be physically present “as required by law.”

The arraignment marks the formal start of the proceedings in the case.

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READ: Spox: Sara Duterte to attend Friday arraignment for grave threats case

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Duterte will be formally informed of the charges against her and asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.

She may also refuse to enter a plea, which will prompt the court to enter a plea of not guilty on her behalf as standard procedure.

The vice president is charged with three counts of grave threats in connection with her November 2024 remarks supposedly stating she had tapped an individual to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and presidential cousin and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she was killed.

Duterte was ordered arrested over the grave threats charges by the Quezon City court last Sept. 4, posting a P360,000 bail a day later.

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She also faces an impeachment case before the Senate over the same remarks.

The vice president challenged the case before the Supreme Court on Thursday, asserting that she had immunity as a sitting impeachable official and seeking relief from the case. /jpv