VICE President Sara Duterte said she had received information as early as 2024 about alleged plans by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against her, including efforts that she claimed could lead to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, and attacks against her.
In a statement released Monday, September 7, Duterte said she had been preparing for possible threats because of her position in government. She said she had also raised security concerns with then Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, particularly asking that her mother and children be protected and not dragged into any actions against her.
The statement came amid heightened tensions following the issuance of an arrest warrant against the Vice President last week over three counts of grave threats involving Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Taong 2024 pa lamang ay umabot na sa akin ang impormasyon ng mga planong gawin ni Marcos. Matagal na ako sa pampublikong serbisyo at nakahanda ako araw-araw sa posibilidad gawa ng aking trabaho,” Duterte said.
She alleged that authorities’ reported visits to locations where her mother and children were staying were particularly concerning, saying government agencies had already acknowledged knowing her whereabouts through surveillance activities.
“The paglapit o pagpunta sa lugar kung saan naroroon ang aking ina at mga anak, sa kabila ng pag-amin ng DILG Secretary at ng pulisya na alam nila kung nasaan ako dahil sa kanilang mga surveillance activities, ay isang seryosong usapin,” she said.
Duterte further alleged that involving or intimidating minors constituted child abuse, adding that children should not be used in efforts to pressure her.
Her latest statement followed a weekend dispute over the government's efforts to locate her after a Quezon City court issued an arrest warrant on September 4. The court found probable cause to proceed with the three grave-threat charges stemming from Duterte's November 23, 2024 online press briefing, in which she said she had arranged for someone to kill Marcos, his wife, and Romualdez if she herself were killed.
The Department of Justice filed the criminal case in August 2026, after the National Bureau of Investigation investigated the remarks. Prosecutors said they found prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction. Duterte's camp has denied the allegations and previously challenged the case on jurisdictional grounds.
Duterte posted ₱360,000 bail on September 5, or ₱120,000 for each of the three counts. The warrant was subsequently lifted after she appeared before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
The Vice President has since raised concerns over her personal safety and that of her family. However, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Duterte had not formally reported any threat against herself or her family to the police and that authorities had not monitored any verified threat against them. He said the PNP remained open to receiving documents or reports regarding the alleged threats.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, meanwhile, said authorities' knowledge of Duterte's location was part of their duty and was neither illegal nor unusual. He also said the police accorded Duterte the respect due to her position during the service of the warrant and her subsequent appearance in court.
The criminal case is separate from Duterte's ongoing impeachment trial before the Senate, although the 2024 threats also form part of the impeachment proceedings. The broader conflict comes amid the deterioration of the once-close Marcos-Duterte political alliance, which began to fracture in 2024 and has since developed into a major political confrontation ahead of the 2028 presidential race.
Duterte ended her latest statement by warning that a government that fails to respect and protect children demonstrates a lack of concern for the country's future. DEF
