MANILA, Philippines – The House committee on good government on Monday, November 25, moved to extend the contempt citation against Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, effectively keeping her in detention for five more days.
House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro’s motion was seconded by her colleagues, during the resumption of the panel’s probe into Duterte’s alleged misuse of funds in the Office of the Vice President and in the Department of Education, when she was the education chief.
“In view of what happened during the last two days or so, I would like to consider to move for a reconsideration of our resolution. In so far as it’s limited the period of detention of Attorney Lopez be 10 days instead of 5 days,” Castro said.
Castro made the move because of Lopez’s absence in the probe.
“I must stress also, Mr. Chair, that the totality, just you have said a while ago, the totality of Atty. Lopez’s acts and conduct warranted a detention of more than five days,” she added.
It remains unclear whether Lopez will serve the extension at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) or at the House detention facility. On Wednesday, November 20, it was Representative Castro who first moved to cite Lopez in contempt, initially for five days, with the detention set to end on Monday. Lopez was cited in contempt because of her evasive answers and “undue interference” in the House proceedings.
On Saturday, November 23, Lopez was transferred to the VMMC after experiencing an anxiety attack, following a House order to transfer her to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City.
Citing humanitarian reasons, the prison transfer didn’t push through after a chaotic incident between Duterte camp and the House security on early Saturday, November 23.
Duterte, who had skipped the hearings in the past, joined her staff in Monday’s hearing. – Rappler.com
