HOUSE DEFENDED
HOUSE Majority Leader Zamboanga Representative Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe yesterday expressed strong indignation over the misleading narratives propagated by Vice President Sara Duterte and her allies concerning the detention of her chief of staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez at the House of Representatives.
“It is outrageous that Vice President Duterte and her supporters are distorting the truth. The House has always respected due process and upheld the legal rights of detainees,” Dalipe asserted.
“The timeline clearly shows that the allegations of denying lawyers entry are baseless and untrue,” he added.
Dalipe pointed out that Duterte herself acted as Lopez’s legal counsel during the crucial hours, alongside Atty. Lito Go, who was immediately granted access upon arrival.
“These claims are nothing but an attempt to tarnish the credibility of the House while ignoring the reality that legal representation was fully respected,” Dalipe stressed.
The Majority Leader also criticized Duterte for obstructing House personnel in implementing the order to transfer Lopez’s place of detention from the House custodial facility to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.
“Instead of complying with lawful processes, the Vice President chose to hold a press conference at midnight. Is this the behavior of someone who respects the rule of law?” Dalipe questioned.
The Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability had earlier ordered Lopez detained after citing her for contempt during its investigation into Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
However, due to Duterte’s repeated security breaches, including her insistence on accompanying Lopez in detention, the committee decided to transfer Lopez to the Correctional Institute for Women. This transfer was obstructed by Duterte, delaying its implementation.
For humanitarian reasons, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco decided to prioritize Lopez’s health and directed her temporary stay at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.
Dalipe said the House will not allow its integrity to be undermined by misinformation.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for allegedly misrepresenting the standard protocols of the House of Representatives, particularly regarding phone usage by detainees.
“It is infuriating to see the Vice President and her allies twisting facts to suit their narrative. The claim that phones were confiscated is a blatant lie,” Gonzales said.
The Pampanga lawmaker explained that detained Office of the Vice President (OVP) Chief of Staff and Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez and her companion voluntarily surrendered their phones after their allotted usage time, in line with the established security protocols.
“These rules are not arbitrary. They are enforced consistently to maintain order and security within the facility. This is not about special treatment or discrimination,” Gonzales emphasized.
“VP Duterte knows this, yet she insists on spreading disinformation to discredit the institution,” he added.
Lopez was detained at the House after being cited for contempt during the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability’s investigation into the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the OVP and the Department of Education when Duterte was still Education Secretary.
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