‘Typhoon Sara’ awaits summons

“Prepare for typhoon Inday.”

This was the cryptic message delivered by Atty. Zuleika Lopez, the chief of staff of Vice President Sara Duterte, as she left the Senate Thursday, just days before her scheduled testimony before the impeachment court.

Lopez’s remark came as House prosecutors moved to escalate the impeachment trial by formally reserving their right to call Duterte herself as a hostile witness on the article of impeachment involving alleged grave threats.

House private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan has told the impeachment court that the prosecution intends to compel Duterte’s appearance once the proceedings reach that stage.

“We are already respectfully informing this Honorable Court that we will manifest that we will have a written request for her presence in connection with this article on grave threats,” Kapunan said.

She said the prosecution was reserving that right after impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero confirmed the court would act on a prosecution motion seeking to compel Duterte to testify.

“We will reserve the right. We are not waiving the right to call her at the appropriate time and to file the appropriate request for subpoena duces tecum and subpoena testificandum,” Kapunan said.

Lopez is among the prosecution’s next witnesses after the House panel identified in a manifestation filed Wednesday, 8 July, those scheduled to testify when the impeachment trial resumes on Monday, 13 July.

They include National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, House Sergeant-at-Arms official Capt. Belinda Bello, and Lopez.

Lopez had previously testified before the House Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability during its investigation into the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President.

Her brief remark yesterday came amid renewed speculation that Duterte might appear before the Senate after she was seen in the building on Tuesday, 7 July, conferring with her legal team.

Asked about Lopez’s statement, House Deputy Speaker Rep. Paolo Ortega dismissed any suggestion that it foreshadowed developments in the impeachment proceedings.

“Yes, they should be prepared as well ‘cause typically they’re the ones missing when there’s a storm. So maybe they should prepare; we are all prepared,” Ortega said in a press conference.

He said personalities linked to Duterte had already warned the administration about the supposed approaching “weather disturbance” and suggested Lopez was simply repeating the message.

“Let’s just be prepared for the storm, not the impeachment because the prosecutors are already prepared,” Ortega said.

House public prosecutor Rep. Ysabel Zamora likewise took Lopez’s remark literally. “It is true that there’s a storm called Inday, so let’s be prepared for it,” she said.

The exchange came as the House prosecution team concluded the presentation of its first witness, National Bureau of Investigation senior agent John Mark Calilung.

Calilung authenticated the recording in which Duterte was heard uttering threatening remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.