Duterte visits detained chief of staff at House of Representatives

Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte visited her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, in her detention facility at the House of Representatives on Thursday, Nov. 21, to serve a contempt order for supposedly obstructing the probe on questionable confidential fund spending.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said the vice president spent the night at her brother’s office, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte.

“Dumating siya around 8 pm kagabi, binisita niya si Attorney Lopez, tapos at 10 pm, kasi yun ang limit ng visit to a detainee, she decided to go to the office of Congressman Pulong Duterte,” Velasco told NewsWatch Plus in an interview.

[Translation: She arrived around 8 pm last night, visited Attorney Lopez, and then at 10 pm, because that’s the limit for visits to a detainee, she decided to go to Congressman Pulong Duterte’s office.]

"Hindi pa namin alam ano gagawin niya next," said Velasco.

[Translation: We don’t know yet what she will do next.]

Duterte was still in the House premises as of Friday morning

Velasco said the House Sergeant-at-Arms is now coordinating with its counterparts to make sure the vice president is secure.

Lawmakers ordered the detention of Lopez on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro made the motion for detention, citing “undue interference,” based on Lopez’s letter to the Commission on Audit that requested to disregard the subpoena for confidential fund documents issued by the House committee on good government and public accountability.

Lopez will remain in detention until Nov. 25. She has appealed the arrest.

“It was just a respectful request to the Commission on Audit. There was no intention to demand from them or to order them or to commandeer them into something that they did not want to do,” Lopez said.

Lawmakers upheld their decision.

NewsWatch Plus Correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.