Vice President Sara Duterte's legal team has asked the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to hold oral arguments on its motion to quash the grave threats cases filed against her, arguing that the matter carries "far-reaching consequences" for other impeachable public officials.
In a statement on Friday, Duterte's counsel, Atty. Paul Lawrence Lim, said the defense filed a manifestation stressing the need for oral arguments on the motion to dismiss the cases.
"The defense is now filing a manifestation emphasizing the need for oral arguments on the vice president's motion to quash, considering the far-reaching consequences of the grave threats cases," Lim said.
He argued that allowing the prosecution of a sitting vice president could set a legal precedent affecting other impeachable officials, including the Ombudsman, members of the Constitutional Commissions, Supreme Court justices, and even the President.
The defense earlier sought to quash the charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, citing an alleged lack of jurisdiction. Lim previously expressed confidence that the cases would eventually be dismissed, adding that Duterte would pursue all available legal remedies.
The charges stem from Duterte's remarks during a 2024 online press conference in which she said she had arranged for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to be killed should she be assassinated. Duterte later maintained that her statements had been taken out of context.
The remarks are also among the allegations being examined in the ongoing impeachment trial against the vice president.
