Vice President Sara Duterte questioned why authorities went to her mother and children despite allegedly knowing her whereabouts before serving a warrant for her arrest.
Duterte raised the question in a statement on Saturday, September 5, in response to Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla’s disclosure that authorities knew where she was the night before but did not immediately enforce the arrest warrant.
“At dahil alam ninyo kung nasaan ako, isang mahalagang tanong ang dapat ninyong sagutin—bakit niyo pa kinakailangang puntahan ang aking ina at mga anak?” Duterte said.
She claimed that the visit to her family was intended to intimidate them.
“Isa lamang ang malinaw na sagot —upang takutin at sindakin ang aking pamilya,” she said.
Duterte said Remulla’s statement appeared to support documents she claimed to have regarding alleged surveillance and harassment operations by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government agencies against her.
“Ang mga salitang ito ni Secretary Jonvic Remulla ay tila nagpapatibay sa mga dokumentong matagal na naming hawak hinggil sa harassment at surveillance operations ng Philippine National Police at iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno laban sa akin,” Duterte said.
Remulla earlier said authorities knew Duterte’s whereabouts on Friday night but chose not to force the arrest warrant.
“We knew of her whereabouts the night before, but we did not force the warrant of arrest,” Remulla said.
The DILG secretary also defended the PNP’s handling of the arrest, saying the police accorded Duterte the respect her position deserves and that authorities have body-camera footage of the warrant being served and her arrival at the Quezon City Hall of Justice.
Duterte posted ₱360,000 bail for three counts of grave threats allegedly made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The Vice President said she wanted to emphasize her position on the jurisdiction issue by surrendering to police but chose not to because she could not trust authorities to ensure her safety in custody.
“Nais ko mang bigyang diin ang aming posisyon ukol sa isyu ng jurisdiction sa pamamagitan ng pagsuko sa pulisya, hindi ko magawa dahil hindi ninyo kayang ipangako na magiging ligtas ako sa loob ng inyong kulungan,” Duterte said.
She also cited the arrest and transfer of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as among the reasons for her distrust of the police.
“Higit sa lahat, huwag nating kalimutan ang ginawang pagkidnap ng Philippine National Police kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Pati na rin sa marami pang ginagawang harassment ng pulisya sa mga sibilyan,” she said.
Duterte further accused the government of using public funds for surveillance operations against her, saying these resources should instead be used to protect the public and address criminal activities.
Meanwhile, PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Duterte had not reported to the police any threats against her life or the safety of her family, including threats she said had been occurring since 2023.
“To date, however, the Vice President has not reported to the PNP any threat to her life or to the safety of her family, including the threats she said date back to 2023,” Nartatez said.
Nartatez added that the PNP had not monitored any verified threat against Duterte or her family.
He said police provided security to Duterte when she posted bail and that she was able to safely arrive at and leave the court.
“The PNP remains open to receiving any document, report, or statement concerning the reported threats,” Nartatez said.
Duterte, however, maintained her lack of trust in Remulla and the police.
“Wala kaming tiwala sa iyo, Jonvic Remulla, at sa mga pulis na sunod-sunuran sa isang korap na pamahalaang pinamumunuan ni Marcos,” she said.
