(UPDATED) House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairperson Rep. Joel Chua has rejected the request of Vice President Sara Duterte to stay with her office’s Chief of Staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, who has been detained at the House of Representatives since Wednesday after being cited in contempt over “undue interference” in House panel proceedings.

In a letter, Duterte cited “humanitarian reasons”, saying Lopez has persistent chronic back problem, fears for her safety, is not used to being alone, and is still experiencing fatigue and sadness about the condition of her aunt.

But Chua said guidelines state that the facility is only for individuals ordered detained by the House. He added that the VP is a “security risk”.

“Unang-una hindi naman po siya detainee. Pangalawa, high profile po siya. Baka mamaya, may mangyari po diyan, kawawa naman ‘yung ating mga empleyado rito. Alam naman po natin security risk siya, at pangalawang pangulo po ‘yan. At pangatlo… siguro mas maganda po immediate family. ‘Yun po pinayagan po, immediate family,” Chua told the media in a press conference on Friday.

VP Duterte on House probe: Why would I answer to them?

In another letter, the Vice President’s brother, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte appealed to Chua to allow Lopez to be detained in his office within the House of Representatives compound, instead of the facilities of the House Office of Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA).

“This is in view of the present conditions of Atty. Lopez, which pose serious risks on her health and well-being,” Rep. Duterte said in the letter.

“As a result, Atty. Lopez personally heeded the assistance of this Representation to provide a conducive and comfortable facility that will relieve her of her present physical and emotional distress,” he added.

This was also rejected by Chua.

“Ito po ay hindi natin pinayagan, dahil otherwise, ang mangyayari niyan, ‘yung susunod, ‘yung iba pang may koneksyon o may kaibigan na congressman ay ganoon na lang ang gagawin… Bad precedent po pag pinayagan natin. Saka syempre ayaw naman natin magbigay ng pabor. Gusto natin pantay-pantay lahat ng ide-detain dito,” he explained.

Chua, however, allowed Lopez to go to therapy and rehabilitation sessions, as long as she is escorted by personnel from the House Sergeant-at-Arms. He also allowed an immediate family of Lopez to accompany her in detention, given her condition.

“Ito ay pinagbigyan natin dahil alam naman po natin ‘yung kanyang condition, mayroon siyang back condition,” Chua explained.

Vice President Duterte visited her House-detained chief-of-staff on Thursday evening, and spent the night in her brother Paolo’s office within the House of Representatives, despite appeals from the House Sergeant-at-Arms to leave and comply with the lower chamber’s security protocols.

“We talked over the phone with the security and we were informed that VP will just change using the room of the Honorable Pulong Duterte. We waited… At 11:30pm, I personally appealed to the protocol and the security of the Vice President at Room 304 if they could possibly already leave the premises… we turn off power in all our buildings… to save on energy dahil centralized ang air conditioning and to prevent ‘yung occurrence ng electrical fire. (04:20) In deference with the Vice President, inabot tayo ng 12:30 bago talaga natin in-off,” House Sergeant-at-Arms Napoleon Taas said.

Rep. Duterte sent another letter to Chua informing him that he has given her sister, the Vice President, “unconditional permission to stay indefinitely” in his office to discharge her day-to-day duties. 

“She is amenable to stay in this Representation’s office even without electricity and running water and during periods of maintenance,” he said.

House leaders expressed concern over Duterte’s refusal to leave the House premises even after visiting hours, defying House rules.

“Kahit ilang beses siyang pinakiusapan ng aming Sergeant-at-Arms na umalis, binalewala niya ito, dahilan para magpatupad kami ng lockdown para sa kaligtasan ng lahat at proteksyon ng institusyon,” House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe and House Deputy Speaker David Suarez said in a statement.

“Gusto naming ipaalala sa lahat, lalo na sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno, na may mga patakaran at protokol kaming sinusunod sa Malaking Kapulungan para tiyakin ang seguridad at kaayusan. Hindi ito basta-basta nilalabag, kahit sino pa ang tao. Kapag hindi nasunod ang mga ito, para na rin nating sinira ang respeto sa institusyon na nagsisilbi sa taumbayan,” they added.

“Kung walang respeto sa mga simpleng patakaran, paano tayo magtitiwala na kaya nilang igalang ang mas malalaking responsibilidad na iniatang ng taongbayan sa kanila?” the House leaders noted.

The chair of the House Committee on Good Government shared this sentiment.

“Lack of respect in the institution… Parang kung kailan lang niya gusto, kung ano lang ang gusto niya, ‘yun lang ang gagawin niya… Sana yung respeto sa mga tao, lalu sa mas maliliit sa kanya, sana ibigay niyo po yan. May protocol tayong sinusunod dito. Wala naman masama kung umuwi. Pagkatapos the following day, pwede namang bumalik,” Chua said.

Asked whether the House Sergeant-At-Arms will “extract” VP Duterte if she continues on defying House Security Protocols, Taas issued this response.

“Ang atin pong pangalawang Pangulo ay honorary member ng klase ko sa PMA… So Mistah po yung tawagan namin. Hindi ako magsasawa na makikiusap sa aking mistah. Dahil base naman sa aming karanasan… pagka mistah sa mistah ang nagpakiusapan, nagbibigayan naman po. (17:00) Pakiusap ng mga security ng ating pangalawang pangulo… wag nalang magstay dito sa gabi. Yung gabi kailangan doblehin ang security. Kagabi, medyo marami rami ang nag-overtime,” he said.

Lopez was ordered detained at the House of Representatives until the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability investigating the P612.5 million confidential expenses of the OVP and the Department of Education in 2022 and 2023 resumes its hearing on Monday.

House cites OVP chief of staff in contempt for undue interference in proceedings

She was cited in contempt after admitting that she sent a letter to the Commission on Audit last August urging it to keep confidential the documents subpoenad by a House panel regarding the audit of the OVP and DepEd’s confidential funds. Congressmen also expressed doubts on Lopez’s claim that she has no personal knowledge on the utilization of these funds.

Duterte previously expressed sympathy for her subordinates, who were grilled by lawmakers, noting that the OVP staff and officials are not politicians, and should not have to deal with political differences.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez urged the Vice President on Thursday not to pass the responsibility of explaining the funds in question to her subordinates. He said Duterte should personally attend and explain the ongoing House investigation into the alleged misuse of her offices’ confidential funds.