Filipine Vice President Sara Duterte was recently charged by the court for a “serious threat” case, and she has repeatedly expressed concerns about her own safety and distrust of the police. On September 6, Philippine Interior Secretary Vicente Limes Reulla stated that the government has the responsibility to protect Sara, and that the police “will never harm her.” He also reminded Sara that what she should be wary of is those around her.
According to reports by the Philippine Daily Tribune, ABS-CBN, and other media outlets, Remulla said that Sarah 'has no reason to feel uneasy.' He stated, 'Trust is earned. Over time, she will realize that we will never harm her. We have a responsibility to protect her, and we also have a responsibility to protect all Filipinos.'
September 5th, Quezon City, Philippines. Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte went to pay the bail fee. After completing the bail procedures, the court revoked the previous arrest warrant. IC Photo
Remula also stated that “the Philippine National Police did not participate in any extrajudicial executions today,” and that related policies “ceased in 2022.”
On the 5th, Sarah went to the Quezon City Court to request bail on three charges of ‘serious threats’. The case stemmed from her alleged threat to the Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, First Lady Lisa Marcos, and then Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez in 2024. After paying a bail bond of 360,000 pesos, the court revoked her arrest order.
Before and after the bail proceedings, Sarah repeatedly expressed her sense of insecurity and accused the police of monitoring and harassing her since 2023. On the 5th, she publicly stated that she did not trust Remora, nor did she trust the Philippine National Police, which is under the Department of Interior. She accused the police of acting under the control of the corrupt Marcos government.
Reimura said that the police had access to the video footage from the cameras worn by Sarah during her trip to court to obtain bail. He plans to make public these videos in order to demonstrate that the police showed the respect due to Sarah. He also revealed that the police knew Sarah’s location on the night when the arrest warrant was issued, but did not enforce the arrest.
As for why the police were able to track Sarah down, Remula made a meaningful statement: “What she really should be wary of is the people around her. It’s they who told us where she was.”
The Philippine National Police said on the same day that they will continue to assess the security threats faced by Sarah and her family, and will work towards rebuilding trust through practical actions. The police stated that no "verified threats" have been identified against Sarah and her family.
