Court denies Sara Duterte’s request to inhibit judge from grave threats case

VEEP. Accompanied by her brother, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Quezon City RTC on September 11, 2026, to attend arraignment proceedings for her grave threats case.

Jire Carreon/Rappler

This is Duterte's latest legal defeat

AT A GLANCE

• Quezon City RTC Branch 98 denied Vice President Sara Duterte's motion to inhibit the presiding judge in her grave threats case, citing lack of merit.
• Duterte faces three counts of grave threats stemming from a November 2024 incident involving threats against President Marcos Jr. and others, with the DOJ finding sufficient evidence for charges.
• Duterte's arraignment was postponed due to her motion, which was ultimately denied, marking another legal setback for the Vice President.

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MANILA, Philippines – Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 98 denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s bid to inhibit the presiding judge from her grave threats case, the court announced in a decision made public on Tuesday, September 15.

“Wherefore, premises considered, the Motion for Inhibition or Voluntary Recusal is hereby denied for utter lack of merit,” said Presiding Judge Ma. Angelica de Ramos.

In a statement, Duterte’s lawyer, Paul Lawrence Lim, said they have received the court’s resolution denying their motion.

“The Vice President will exercise all available remedies. We also received the court’s order requiring both parties to strictly comply with the sub judice rule and to refrain from publicly discussing the merits of the case,” said Lim.

Duterte, the country’s second highest official, is facing three counts of grave threats due to her infamous November 2024 meltdown where she allegedly threatened President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Lisa Araneta Marcos, and the President’s cousin, then-House speaker Martin Romualdez.

In August, the Department of Justice (DOJ) found the necessary level of evidence to charge Duterte with grave threats.

By September 4, Judge De Ramos found probable cause to issue a warrant and order Duterte’s arrest. Grave threats case is bailable, but Duterte only posted bail a day later, on September 5. Before paying P360,000, Duterte talked to her lawyers outside, refusing to enter the Hall of Justice. She then claimed that she does not trust the institutions and fears for her life.

Duterte was supposed to be arraigned on September 11, but she apparently filed a motion a day before seeking De Ramos’ inhibition. But at the time, neither Duterte’s camp, nor the DOJ, confirmed what type of motion Duterte had lodged before the court.

Arraignment is the phase in criminal proceedings after the arrest or surrender. This is when the court reads the accused the case and asks the person either for a guilty or not-guilty plea.

Due to the motion, the court deferred the arraignment and chose to first resolve Duterte’s pending motion at the time.

This is Duterte’s latest legal defeat. The Vice President had filed a motion to defer the warrant before Branch 98, but Presiding Judge De Ramos also denied it early this month and still ordered her arrest.

In a different case, Duterte had filed a perjury complaint against self-confessed bagman Ramil Madriaga before the Taguig City prosecutor’s office, but the prosecutors junked her complaint for lack of evidence on September 10. – Rappler.com