A member of the House prosecution panel called on Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday to refrain from theatrical posturing and directly address the statements that prompted criminal charges against her for grave threats, rather than redirecting fault.
“‘Sinong mananagot?’ Kayo po, Madam Vice President, ang kailangang managot at sumagot sa mga alegasyong kinakaharap ninyo,” Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon said in a statement.
“Tama na po ang drama. Wala naman pong grave threats case ngayon kung hindi dahil sa mga pahayag na naging batayan ng kasong isinampa laban sa inyo,” he said.
“Harapin po ninyo ang proseso at ilahad po ninyo ang inyong depensa sa korte,” he added.
Ridon issued the remarks following statements from Duterte outside the Quezon City Hall of Justice on Saturday, where she repeatedly expressed fears for her personal safety after a court issued an arrest warrant covering three counts of grave threats against her.
“I really do not feel safe. Wala akong tiwala sa korte, wala akong tiwala sa pulis. I do not feel safe,” said Duterte, who was speaking to her lawyers outside the courthouse.
“I do not feel safe. Hinarass nila yung lugar kung nasaan yung nanay ko at saka yung anak ko. Saan ako pupunta?” the Vice President said.
“Mag-bail ako, hindi titigil yung harassment. Hindi ako mag-bail, pupunta ako sa pulis, wala akong tiwala sa pulis. Wala nga akong tiwala sa korte,” said Duterte, herself a lawyer.
“Sino sasagot pag namatay ako mamayang gabi? Sinong mananagot? Siyempre, maghuhugas-kamay lang yung pulis, make it look like an accident. Maghuhugas-kamay lang yung judge. I do not feel safe at all, kahit anong gawin ko.”
The court directed her arrest upon establishing probable cause to try the Vice President on three counts of grave threats.
The legal action traces back to Duterte’s statements during a November 2024 online press conference, in which she publicly stated she had instructed an individual to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez should she herself be killed.