November 30, 2024 | 6:50pm
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has ordered the release of Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff, marking the end of her 10-day detention.
In a release order dated November 30, the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, chaired by Rep. Joel Chua, directed retired General Napoleon Taas, the House sergeant-at-arms, to implement Lopez’s release.
“In view of the undertaking to attend all hearings, you are hereby ordered to immediately RELEASE ATTY. ZULEIKA T. LOPEZ after a medical examination has been conducted on her,” the order read.
This came after Lopez was cited for contempt last week for alleged interference in deliberations on the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), when Duterte served as DepEd chief.
Lopez was initially held at the Batasang Pambansa Complex on November 22 but was later ordered to be transferred to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.
She was eventually confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) after suffering panic attacks, vomiting and fainting spells.
Over the weekend, Duterte announced that Lopez would step down as her chief of staff after the conclusion of the House hearings. The vice president attributed Lopez’s decision to emotional distress caused by her detention ordeal.
“She expressed her intention to resign earlier. She said, ‘I want to resign from the Office of the Vice President.’ And I told her, OK,” Duterte said.
The vice president described the experience as traumatic for Lopez and went as far as calling the House’s decision to transfer her “attempted homicide.”
Lopez’s release comes amid ongoing tensions between Duterte and the First Family.
During a virtual press conference on November 23, Duterte claimed to have arranged for the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Romualdez if an alleged plan to kill her were to succeed.
The vice president later clarified that her remarks were hypothetical and should not be taken as actionable threats. — with reports from Dominique Flores
Be the first to comment