VP Sara shows up at QC court, arraignment in grave threats case deferred

September 11, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

Vice President Sara Duterte’s arraignment for her grave threats case was deferred because of a motion her camp filed, according to her lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim.

Duterte, who earlier said she did not trust the court, showed up at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court early Friday for the scheduled arraignment.

But Lim told reporters that it did not push through.

“Basically hindi lang natuloy yung arraignment, merong mosyon na pina-aaralan pa yung ating kagalang-galang na hukom at habang ito’y pinag-aaralan, habang hindi pa ’to napapasyahan, deferred muna or suspended muna yung arraignment ng ating bise presidente,” he said.

He said one of the reasons is Duterte’s plea before the Supreme Court asking it to nullify her indictment for three counts of grave threats.

Duterte was earlier ordered arrested and posted bail for the case, which stemmed from her statement in an online press briefing that she told somebody to kill the President, the First Lady, and the former Speaker if she were killed.

She said it was not a joke and later called it “revenge from the grave.”

In her Supreme Court petition, Duterte said she enjoys “limited procedural immunity” from criminal prosecution while in office as an impeachable official.

She said the penalties that could be imposed on her for criminal offenses could effectively result in her removal or disqualification without an impeachment conviction.