DISRESPECTED
LAWMAKERS expressed disappointment over another rudeness and disrespect attitude of Vice President Sara Duterte when she visited her detained Chief of Staff Züleika Lopez.
The Vice President ignored House protocol and stayed overnight during her visit.
Duterte asked the House of Representatives if she could stay with Lopez in the detention cell but was not allowed by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability since she is not a detainee.
Out of respect for her she was allowed to stay up to 10 p.m., way beyond the 7 p.m. limit, but instead of leaving she went to the office of her brother Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte where she stayed overnight.
Manila Rep. Joel Chua, chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability investigating the allegations against the Vice President, criticized her actions as “lack of respect for the institution” and its employees, urging her to adhere to established protocols.
“Para sa akin lang, kasi opisyal tayo, dapat careful tayo sa ating mga aksyon. Dapat ito ay tinitignan natin kasi it will show our character, nagre-reflect ‘yung character natin sa ating mga aksyon,” Chua said in a press conference.
“Ang sa akin lang, hindi ko naman po masasabi kasi po si Vice President mataas ang pinag-aralan, isa po siyang abogada. So, sana ‘yung respeto sa mga tao, lalo sa mga mas maliliit sa kanya, sana ibigay din po niya,” he added.
Chua called on Duterte to reflect on her actions and their impact on the House as an institution.
“Respect begets respect,” he said, insisting that adherence to rules ensures fairness and security for all.
Chua, joined by House Sergeant-at-Arms retired Police Maj. Gen. Napoleon Taas, held a press conference to detail the Vice President’s visit, which they said breached House protocols and placed undue strain on resources.
Duterte herself followed at 7:45 p.m., meeting Lopez at the Visitor’s Center near the South Gate.
House officials accommodated her visit, adhering to standard guidelines.
“At about 10 o’clock, the Vice President together with Usec. Lopez actually prepared to leave the premises of the Visitor’s Center, as we have requested,” Taas recounted. “The Vice President, at about 10:05 p.m., also rode her convoy. We assumed she would exit the House of Representatives.”
Instead, the Vice President proceeded to Room 304 in the office of her brother.
Despite appeals from House officials, including Taas himself, the Vice President and her security team stayed in the office until early Friday morning, violating House rules.
“By 11:30 p.m., I personally appealed to the protocol and security of the Vice President at Room 304 if they could possibly leave the premises, as there’s always a practice during long weekends that we turn off power in all our buildings,” Taas explained.
The Vice President’s team remained locked in the office past midnight, prompting concerns over security risks and operational disruptions.
Chua emphasized that the Vice President’s actions demonstrated a disregard for the rules and the institution itself.
“So ulitin ko ang pakiusap ko na ang ating mga empleyado dito kasama na dito ang ating Sergeant-at-Arms ay ginagawa lang po nila ang kanilang tungkulin at trabaho. Sana po sumunod po tayo sa mga patakaran dahil ito po ay pagpapakita lamang ng respeto sa institusyon,” Chua said.
Chua also criticized Duterte’s selective compliance with institutional processes, noting her refusal to attend his committee’s hearing while spending long hours at the recent House Quad Committee hearing to accompany her father former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the investigation into extrajudicial killings linked to his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“Nakikita naman po natin parang kung kailan lang niya gusto, kung ano lang ang gusto niya, ‘yun lang ang gagawin niya,” Chua said, pointing to the Vice President’s refusal to leave the premises when instructed.
“Kung tayo mismo hindi susunod sa batas, paano pa natin ipatutupad ang mga batas? Ang atin pong pangalawang pangulo ay isang abogada. Siya po ay pangalawa sa pinakamataas na opisyal ng ating bansa,” he added.
The Vice President justified her prolonged stay by citing humanitarian reasons, including Lopez’s safety, her own migraines, jetlag, and emotional stress.
However, Chua and Taas dismissed these reasons as insufficient to warrant bypassing House protocols.
“Hindi po namin ma-allow siya dahil unang-una hindi naman po siya detainee,” Chua explained.
He continued: “Pangalawa, high profile po siya, baka po may mangyari po dyan eh kawawa naman po ang ating mga empleyado rito. Alam naman po natin security risk po ‘yan, pangalawang pangulo po ‘yan.”
Chua warned that granting special privileges to Duterte would create a perception of favoritism.
“Otherwise sasabihin na may pinapaboran dito. Porke ba’t pangalawang pangulo pinapayagan ninyo? Eh paano naman ang maliliit na tao? ‘Yung mga ordinaryo na nakukulong dito. Siyempre ang batas naman po natin dapat pantay-pantay,” he said.
Chua likewise dismissed as baseless Duterte’s persistent claims of political persecution, emphasizing that the ongoing investigation by his panel, the House Blue Ribbon Committee, is focused solely on accountability and the proper use of public funds.
“Ito pong ginagawa namin, trabaho namin ito. Meron pong ni-refer sa ating committee, ito ay inaksyunan natin. At ang pinag-uusapan po natin dito ay pera ng bayan,” Chua said.
“So wala naman akong nakikita dito na politika. Ang nakikita ko po rito ay may pera nawawala, may kwestyunable po na transaksyon,” he added.
