OVP chief of staff’s detention extended by 5 days

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives committee on good government and public accountability extended yesterday the detention for contempt of the Office of the Vice President (OVP)’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez. 

Initially ordered detained from Nov. 20-25, Lopez will now stay under detention until Nov. 30, totaling her citation in contempt to 10 days.

The decision of the committee to extend Lopez’s detention was made following a motion by House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, citing Lopez’s false statements that the personnel of the Legislative Security Bureau barged into her detention room at  dawn Saturday that was belied by CCTV footage presented before the committee hearing.

“Considering the totality of her acts of undue interference to the proceedings of this committee and the Congress as a whole, I move that the period of detention of attorney Zuleika Lopez be 10 days instead of five days,” Castro said.

House committee on good government and public accountability chairman Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua approved the extension of Lopez’s detention after representatives seconded the motion.

Castro highlighted the OVP chief of staff’s consistent refusal to cooperate with the committee, noting that she only attended the hearing on Nov. 20 after a series of subpoenas.

She noted that Lopez admitted to writing to the Commission on Audit (COA) in an attempt to suppress the release of documents to the committee.

“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,” Castro said.

She also accused Lopez of spreading false narratives about her detention, particularly her claims that she was harassed while in custody at the House of Representatives.

House sergeant-at-arms Napoleon Taas and secretary general Reginald Velasco denied giving ill treatment to Lopez during her detention at the House.

Lopez, currently confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, was held in contempt for “undue interference” during the sixth hearing of the Chua panel last week. It is investigating the misuse of P612.5-million confidential funds of the OVP and the Department of Education when Duterte was DepEd secretary.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) is all set to accommodate Lopez.

If an official order is released, Catapang noted that an air-conditioned room in CIW in Mandaluyong for Lopez is ready.

She was reportedly set to be transferred to a room next to one of the key persons of the raided Philippine offshore gaming operator hub Lucky South 99, Cassandra Li Ong.

“Just like Cassandra Ong who is currently with us, there’s an adjacent room the same size as hers – comfortable and air-conditioned,” Catapang emphasized. 

The BuCor chief also vowed Lopez’s safety with 24-hour security and that she would not be detained with convicted prisoners.

Should Lopez require medical attention, BuCor also guarantees that adequate medical facilities and equipment are on standby.