VP Sara Duterte asks QC court to defer arrest warrant in grave threats cases

Vice President Sara Duterte has asked a Quezon City court to hold off on issuing an warrant for her arrest while it considers her motion to dismiss three grave threats cases.

Her legal team argues that the court must first resolve whether it has proper jurisdiction over the matter.

Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim, Duterte’s lead counsel in the cases initiated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), confirmed that the request to defer the arrest warrant was formally included in their motion to quash.

“The deferment of the arrest warrant is one of the key requests we submitted to the court,” Lim said during a virtual press briefing on Friday.

Lim emphasized that determining jurisdiction is a mandatory prerequisite before the court can take further action in the criminal proceedings. "The issuance of a warrant is itself an exercise of jurisdiction," he noted.

Due to the "far-reaching consequences" and complex constitutional questions surrounding the cases, the defense has also requested that the court schedule oral arguments on the motion to quash.

When asked whether Duterte would voluntarily surrender if the court denies her motion and issues a warrant, Lim declined to commit to a specific course of action.

“We still don't have a final decision regarding the specific remedies we will pursue,” Lim explained. “There are several legal options available—including surrendering or challenging the court’s order—and all are currently being considered.”

Duterte’s motion seeks a complete dismissal of the charges prior to arraignment, explicitly citing the court’s alleged lack of jurisdiction.

The criminal cases stem from statements Duterte made during a November 2024 press conference, where she referenced an alleged assassination plot targeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.

-Paraluman News