Sara Duterte's Presidential Bid Won't Affect Charges Of Sedition And Grave Threats

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Cases filed against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte will not be affected, despite her latest announcement that she would run for president in 2028, the Department of Justice (DOJ) categorically said on Friday.

The complaints were filed in February 2025 by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), following Duterte's remarks about allegedly hiring an assassin to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., his wife, and cousin. This prompted NBI to file charges of inciting to sedition and grave threats.

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At a press briefing in Manila on Friday – two days after Duterte announced her presidential bid – DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said complaints against the vice president have been resolved and are now pending review by the (prosecution) division head."

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This means that once the resolution is issued, the DOJ panel of prosecutors will either dismiss the case or recommend charges against the vice president before the Philippine courts.

Martinez also answered the question about the delay in the disposition and said it was due“to the complexity of the case involved. He added Duterte's recent announcement that she will seek the presidency in 2028 "will not affect the assessment by the prosecutors of the pending case against her."

Meanwhile, Duterte was slapped with another impeachment complaint – her fourth this year, on Wednesday. All complaints point to Duterte's alleged misuse of P612.5 million (Dh39 million) in confidential funds within her first 18 months in office since July 2022. This includes Duterte's misspending of P500 million (Dh29.9 million), which she allegedly exhausted within 11 days in December 2022, largely to rent“safety houses.”

Duterte's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, himself is under the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Netherlands since March last year for his crimes against humanity allegedly committed when he was Davao City mayor and president of the Philippines, where hundreds were reportedly killed during his so-called 'war on drugs' campaign. The confirmation of charges hearing against the former president is scheduled to open on February 23 at 10am (The Hague local time).

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