A Philippine court has officially issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Sara Duterte following allegations that she made death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos, his wife, and a relative. The charges stem from a controversial late-night press briefing where Duterte claimed she had hired a hitman to target the President should she be harmed first. While the charge carries a potential six-month prison sentence, legal experts suggest it is unlikely the Vice President will be taken into custody immediately, as her defense team is expected to seek bail and explore further legal appeals.

This legal development is particularly significant as it overlaps with an ongoing impeachment trial that could end Duterte’s political career. Having already been impeached by the House of Representatives on separate charges of graft and corruption, a guilty verdict in the Senate would lead to her removal from office and a permanent ban from future political endeavors, effectively derailing her 2028 presidential bid. Despite the intensity of these proceedings, Duterte’s representatives have maintained that she has no intention of evading the law and will continue to pursue all available legal remedies to contest the warrant.