PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. assured on Sunday, September 6, 2026, that the police would look into the security concerns raised by Vice President Sara Duterte.
On Saturday, Duterte surrendered and posted bail before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC-RTC), which issued an arrest warrant against her over three counts of grave threat charges on Friday, September 4.
The charges stemmed from Duterte’s remark during a Nov. 23, 2025, online press conference that she had contracted someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and then House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.
Before heading to Branch 98 of the QC-RTC, Duterte stopped at the entrance of the Quezon City Hall of Justice and expressed fear for her life and the lives of her family members.
“I do not feel safe, I really do not feel safe. I don’t trust the court, I don’t trust the police,” she told her lawyers.
“Who will answer for it if I die later tonight? Who will be held accountable?” she added.
She raised concerns over the presence of armed police officers deployed in the building to ensure peace and order in anticipation of her arrival.
Duterte also expressed distrust of her security detail, saying they were provided by the Marcos administration.
She asked to be accompanied by several journalists.
In a statement, Nartatez assured that the police service remains professional and impartial and is focused on protecting every Filipino. He also expressed respect for Duterte’s concerns for her safety and that of her family.
“The Philippine National Police remains steadfastly committed to the rule of law, ensuring that all our operations are conducted with utmost professionalism, impartiality, and absolute respect for individual rights without fear or favor,” he said.
“Rebuilding trust is a continuous process of demonstrating our integrity through our actions, and we assure the public and our leaders that the PNP stands ready to protect every Filipino fairly and professionally,” he added.
Nartatez directed concerned units to continue monitoring and conducting threat assessments involving the Vice President and her immediate family.
He also encouraged the Vice President or her representatives to submit any available documents or reports on the alleged threats for proper verification and assessment.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla maintained that the PNP accorded Duterte all the respect her position deserves.
“We have all the body cam footages of her warrants being served. We have all the body cam footages of her arrival to post bail. We knew of her whereabouts the night before but we did not force the warrant of arrest,” he said.
Duterte said Remulla’s statement was a blatant admission of the long-standing harassment and surveillance operations against her and her family by the PNP and other government agencies.
“Ilang taon nang nagpapatuloy ang surveillance operations ng administrasyon. Malaking halaga na ng pondo ng gobyerno ang inilaan para sa mga ganitong aktibidad laban sa isang nakaupong Bise Presidente,” the Vice President said.
“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? Isa lamang ang malinaw na sagot—upang takutin at sindakin ang aking pamilya,” she added. (TPM/VoxPop Philippines)