Imee visits Sara’s chief of staff

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos yesterday visited Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff who is confined in a state-owned hospital.

Marcos, eldest sister of the President and a friend of Duterte, refused to grant media interviews after arriving at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City.

Social media posts showed Sen. Ronald dela Rosa assisting Marcos as she made her way to the room of Zuleika Lopez, chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President.

Lopez was ordered detained on Nov. 20 by a House of Representatives panel after being cited in contempt for “undue interference” in the panel’s probe.

After a standoff triggered by Duterte’s attempt to keep Lopez from getting transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women, the House settled for Lopez’s hospital detention.

Go appealsfor reconciliation

Meanwhile, Sen. Bong Go has appealed for reconciliation among the country’s leaders amid a House quad committee probe on Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Go said legislative inquiries should be in aid of legislation, not persecution, as he questioned the use of contempt powers to detain resource persons.

“I am asking my House colleagues to slow down with the implementation of contempt citations and respect the rights of resource persons,” Go said on Saturday in Davao City. “It should not be abused. Please stop the harassment.”

Lawmakers should review House rules on investigations to avoid potential abuse of contempt powers, he said.

As for Lopez’s situation, Go asked why she would be detained at a correctional facility if she had not been accused of committing crimes and was not convicted.

Go said he reached out to Duterte to offer his sympathy and support.

“I am ready to help, in my own personal capacity and as a senator, to bring order and find a solution to the issue that Lopez is facing,” he said.

Go had flown from Davao to Manila to visit Duterte at the VMMC.

He also appealed to Senator Marcos to mediate between the Marcos and Duterte camps.

“If she managed to connect Marcos and Duterte to form last election’s UniTeam, maybe she can be an instrument for peace and reconciliation,” Go said.