VP Sara delivers late-night presscon from Pulong's office

Vice President Sara Duterte held a late-night press conference via social media on Friday from the House of Representatives office of her brother, Rep. Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, to express support for her detained chief-of-staff (CoS), Zuleika Lopez, who is currently being held there after being cited in contempt for “undue interference” in a congressional investigation.

Duterte explained that her presence at the House was to support Lopez, who was reportedly feeling lightheaded and nauseous. The VP noted that her CoS has previously been hospitalized for nausea and vomiting and that she may suffer from panic attacks while detained.

Duterte thanked Rep. Joel Chua, chairperson of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, for allowing her to visit Lopez. However, she did not confirm if she would attend the next committee hearing on Monday, stating that her focus remained on supporting Lopez.

When asked how long she planned to hold office there, Duterte mentioned they were conducting a planning session and might remain there through the New Year. She noted that several other members of her staff, including Gina Acosta, faced the prospect of being held in contempt and detained after failing to attend multiple hearings they were invited to.

Allegations of protocol breach

Duterte’s press conference came after leaders of the House of Representatives criticized her actions during her surprise visit to Lopez. House Sergeant-at-Arms Napoleon Taas confirmed that Duterte arrived at the House on Thursday evening and stayed in her brother's office until midnight, well beyond the 5 PM visiting hours.

Despite directives to vacate the premises, Duterte and her entourage remained, causing a lockdown and requiring House staff to work overtime. They only emerged at 11 AM the next day to visit Lopez again.

House leaders called Duterte’s actions disrespectful to the institution and its employees. They emphasized that rules should not be violated, stating, “This is not a place to abuse or make personal space, no matter who you are.”

Lopez was detained after asking the Commission on Audit to withhold compliance with a congressional subpoena related to the investigation of P500 million in confidential funds allocated to Duterte’s office in 2022 and 2023.

While Duterte has described the hearings as politically motivated, lawmakers have reiterated the need for accountability, with some questioning why she has time to visit Lopez but not to appear before the committee.

In response to these comments, the vice president noted that she had sought permission in writing to hold a meeting late Thursday night, given that she had just arrived on a flight from Davao.