Steel barricades erected around Quezon City court ahead of Sara Duterte arraignment

Ahead of Vice President Sara Duterte's scheduled arraignment on grave-threat accusations, the Quezon City Police District erected steel barricades around the Quezon City Hall of Justice on Friday morning. The installation follows a request from the Office of Judiciary Marshals and complies with a Supreme Court directive that prohibits protests, pickets or rallies within a 200-meter radius of any court venue. Police Major Jennifer Ganaban explained that the barriers are a security measure and that civil-disturbance management teams are deployed in case demonstrators appear.

Authorities have not received any protest permit applications, and earlier attempts by Duterte's supporters to hold a rally were redirected to Freedom Park at Quezon Memorial Circle after their request was denied. The arraignment, now set for 8:30 a.m., was delayed from September 11 after the court approved a postponement sought by Duterte's camp, which continues to challenge the RTC's jurisdiction. The Department of Justice filed three counts of grave threat after Duterte allegedly threatened President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez in a 2024 online press conference.