A Quezon City court has denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s request for the presiding judge to inhibit or voluntarily recuse herself from handling her three-count grave threats case.

In an order dated September 14, Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 Judge Maria Angelica De Ramos denied Duterte’s motion for inhibition, finding no sufficient basis to step aside from the cases.

Duterte’s legal team filed the motion on September 10, alleging “manifest partiality, bias and favoritism” on the part of the court.

Her lawyers argued that the court had assisted the prosecution in establishing probable cause by allowing the submission of digital evidence that was not included in the prosecution’s original records. They also claimed the defense was not given sufficient opportunity to comment on the additional submission.

De Ramos rejected the allegations, saying there was no clear and convincing evidence of actual bias, prejudgment or any improper connection that would reasonably call her impartiality into question.

Duterte’s lawyer Paul Lawrence Lim said the Vice President would “exercise all available remedies” following the ruling. He also confirmed that the court ordered both parties to observe the sub judice rule and refrain from publicly discussing the merits of the case.

Duterte is facing three counts of grave threats over remarks she made during an online press conference in November 2024 involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The court issued a warrant of arrest against Duterte on September 4 after finding probable cause to hold her for trial. She posted bail the following day.

Her arraignment, originally scheduled for September 11, was deferred after the filing of the inhibition motion.

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