November 25, 2024 | 3:18pm
MANILA, Philippines — The detention of Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, has been extended for five days, until Saturday, November 30.
Lopez, in the custody of the House of Representatives, was initially scheduled for release on Monday, November 25, after serving five days of detention since November 20.
However, after the commotion that ensued when the vice president overstayed and violated visiting hours, the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability approved a motion on Monday to extend Lopez’s detention for five more days.
“In view of what happened during the last two days or so, I would like to consider moving for a reconsideration of our resolution in so far as it’s limited the period of detention to only five days,” Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers Partylist) said.
“I move Mr. Chair that the period of detention of Atty. Lopez be 10 days instead of five days,” she added.
Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (Sagip Partylist) attempted to stop the motion by interrupting Rep. Joel Chua (Manila, 3rd District) in the middle of saying, “Is there a second to the motion?”
Marcoleta raised a point of information, questioning how the committee evaluated the “totality of evidence” to issue a contempt order.
When Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist), recognized by the committee chair, attempted to respond, Marcoleta angrily insisted that the response should come from Committee Chair Chua instead.
The motion was carried somewhere in the middle of this heated exchange.
Lawmaker’s explanation. However, Castro had already explained the reasons for Lopez’s detention and the need to extend its duration before making her motion.
She cited Lopez’s absence from the November 25 hearing, her “evasive attitude and behavior” in the sixth hearing, and her accusations against House personnel of harassment and barging into her detention room when serving the transfer order.
“By virtue of her conduct, the committee was deprived of invaluable information necessary to allow it to perform its role of crafting legislation for the improvement of the country’s system of governance and transparency,” Castro added.
What went before. Prior to Monday’s hearing, Lopez was hospitalized after vomiting and experiencing a panic attack on the morning of November 23. This cut her detention short at the House’s detention facility.
The House Legislative Bureau served an order to transfer her to the Correctional Institute for Women at around 11 p.m. on November 22 to 12 a.m. the next day.
The order was issued by the House good government panel at around 7:30 to 8 p.m due to the “security risk” posed by Duterte’s continued meddling.
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At the seventh hearing on the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education, Lopez excused herself after being diagnosed with acute stress disorder and musculoskeletal strain in both shoulders.
‘Just like Cassandra Ong’
While Lopez’s detention was extended, the transfer order was neither reiterated nor clarified during the motion.
However, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said in a Monday morning ambush interview that Duterte’s chief of staff would be placed in an air-conditioned room, separate from persons deprived of liberty.
“If ever there’s an order, just like Cassandra Ong, who is currently with us, there is an adjacent room of similar size, comfortable and air-conditioned. We will accommodate, but only if there’s an order,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“If that pushes through, she will have her own room,” he added.
Catapang noted that this was similar to the case of Cassandra Ong, who was also cited in contempt for “lying” and was ordered a 30-day detention at the CIW after her lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said she would rather be detained there.
Ong served as one of the Quad Committee’s resource persons in the inquiry into illegal offshore scam hubs, or POGOs, in the country.
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The media clarified if Ong is currently in a cell with other PDLs, Catapang said in Filipino, “No, they are not mixed in with others.”
The BuCor director assured that the facility has 24/7 security to guard them at all times. He added that a medical unit is readily available should Lopez require medical attention, similar to Ong, who has been experiencing mental health issues.
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