MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday evening accused the government of using her family to intimidate her, citing Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s admission that authorities already knew her whereabouts before enforcing the arrest warrant.
Duterte said Remulla’s statement appeared to reinforce documents she claimed to have on surveillance and harassment operations allegedly conducted against her by the Philippine National Police and other government agencies.
“We knew where she was the night before, but we did not force the arrest warrant,” Remulla said earlier.
Duterte then questioned why authorities went to her mother and children despite already knowing where she was.
“If you knew where I was, why did you still have to go to my mother and children?” she said.
“There is only one clear answer—to frighten and intimidate my family,” Duterte added, accusing the government of using public funds for surveillance against a sitting vice president.
She also said she could not surrender to the police because authorities could not assure her that she would be safe in custody, citing her distrust of the police and the government.
Duterte posted P360,000 bail on Saturday for three counts of grave threats after the Quezon City Regional Trial Court issued the arrest warrant on Friday.