ASEAN Beat | Politics | Southeast Asia

Arrests and Court Appearances Heighten Political Tensions in the Philippines

What are the political implications of Martin Romualdez’s arrest, Rodrigo Duterte’s ICC appearance, and the new criminal case against Vice President Sara Duterte?

Philippine politics was anything but dull in the past two weeks.

During this time, an arrest warrant was issued against Vice President Sara Duterte, who immediately posted bail and called for the resignation of her erstwhile ally, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was arrested for plunder while recovering in a hospital before being transferred to a regular jail facility.

And lastly, former President Rodrigo Duterte made his first trial in-court appearance after more than a year of being under the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

These high-profile events will continue to unfold and affect not just the Marcos presidency but also the narratives of the 2028 elections.

Sara Duterte’s arrest warrant was issued in relation to the grave threats complaint filed against her after she said in an online video in late 2024 that she hired someone to kill Marcos and his wife. She posted bail to avoid arrest and called out Marcos for being ungrateful and betraying those who voted for him.

Duterte minced no words against Marcos in a speech delivered in front of her supporters outside a local court: “You’re a liar, abusive. He has no debt of gratitude to our people and everyone who went to the precincts to put him in power. He has no shame.”

The case is distinct from the current impeachment trial against Duterte, although the first article presented by the prosecution also related to the threats made by the vice president against the First Family.

After the drama surrounding Duterte’s posting of bail, an anti-graft court ordered the arrest of Romualdez in connection with his role in the flood control kickback scandal. The arrest was cited by Palace supporters as proof that Marcos is seriously pursuing accountability, since Romualdez is his close ally and first cousin. Romualdez spent a few days in the hospital before being placed in a regular prison cell.

The arrest was also seen as a move to counter the claim of Duterte’s camp that the vice president, her family, and allies were being unfairly targeted by the Marcos government.

It was also timed a few weeks before the first anniversary of the massive anti-corruption protests that demanded accountability against all those implicated in the flood control controversy.

Arresting Romualdez was therefore a political necessity for Marcos to dispute the allegations that he was persecuting the Dutertes, boost the credibility of his government’s anti-corruption drive, and assure the public that there’s no let-up in pursuing cases against corrupt officials.

As a former House speaker, Romualdez was the highest official tagged in the corruption scandal. It could ease the pressure on Marcos, who is also accused of masterminding the anomalous budget insertions. It........

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