House extends Lopez detention to 10 days

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability extended the detention of Vice President Sara Duterte’s Chief of Staff, lawyer Zuleika Lopez, from five to ten days after she missed Monday’s legislative hearing, citing acute stress disorder.

Lopez was cited in contempt last Wednesday for being evasive and for “undue interference” by requesting the Commission on Audit (COA) to withhold compliance with a subpoena. The subpoena sought records on the utilization of P500 million in confidential and intelligence funds allocated to Duterte’s office in 2022 and 2023.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro moved to extend Lopez’s detention until 30 November, describing her absence as an obstruction to the investigation.

“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, Mr. Chair,” Castro said.

Medical concerns and contested justifications

Currently confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Lopez presented a medical certificate diagnosing her with “acute stress disorder,” citing symptoms such as anxiety, nightmares, and flashbacks, along with musculoskeletal strain in both shoulders.

Lawmakers, however, questioned the legitimacy of her rationale, noting that her doctors did not declare her physically incapable of attending the hearing.

Rep. Rodante Marcoleta argued against the extension of her detention, stating, "This concerns the liberty of an individual. under the Constitution, no one should be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. I think Atty. Lopez deserves to be heard.”

He added that her letter to the COA was a respectful request and had been misinterpreted by the panel.

“Mr. Chair. Atty. Lopez is merely explaining the nature of an audit observation memorandum (AOM). If I were the lawyer of OVP, I would have done the same because I think the very nature of the AOM is not [yet] final and executory,” Marcoleta said.

Panel Chairperson Joel Chua defended the decision, stating that Lopez’s responses were evasive and uncooperative, which obstructed the committee’s legislative inquiry.

“The totality of her acts and responses ultimately convinced the committee that Atty. Lopez was guilty of interfering in and frustrating Congress' exercise of its power of legislative inquiry,” Chua said.

Duterte and lawmakers clash

Vice President Duterte appeared before the hearing to criticize the detention of Lopez and her supposed transfer to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, calling it “unlawful.” She vowed to take legal action.

"I will go to court. But every day you are depriving a person of her liberty while I await [the court’s position],” Duterte stressed.

Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop countered, advising Duterte to seek judicial remedies if the actions were deemed illegal.

Davao Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez argued that transferring Lopez to CIW was baseless and suggested it could constitute arbitrary detention. He also suggested that House Speaker Martin Romualdez may have given the order to detain the chief of staff.

The former house speaker stated, "The House of Representatives has detention facilities. Why would you transfer her to a government facility other than the legislature and for convicted criminals? It is very clear, this is brazen abuse of authority and misuse of power."

Chua clarified that the CIW transfer was a collegial decision made after Duterte’s defiance of House protocols at the Batasan Complex, but denied any involvement from Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The probe into the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds remains ongoing, with tensions high between Duterte and the House leadership.