MANILA (UPDATED) — Atty. Zuleika Lopez, the chief of staff of VP Sara Duterte, was brought to the hospital on Saturday early morning after falling ill and after a House panel had ordered her transferred to the Women’s Correctional Institution in Mandaluyong City.

Lopez, whom a House panel had cited for contempt and ordered detained, had initially been detained at the House.

Lopez was transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City at 5:39 a.m on Saturday, following reports of vomiting and collapsing after being informed of the order to transfer her to the Bureau of Corrections-run CIW.

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

LOPEZ HOLDS ZOOM MEETING

In a Zoom meeting past midnight Saturday, Lopez said she was caught off guard by the order while preparing for bed.

She said that staff from the Legislative Security Bureau (LSB) entered her room at 11:30 p.m., allegedly confiscated her phone, and read her the transfer order.

“I have been trying to cooperate to the very best of my abilities, so I do not understand why they just go to your room, get your phones, and then just tell you that they will move you to Women’s Correctional,” Lopez said.

“I’m not leaving this room. I’m a detainee here in the House of Representatives Detention Facility for five days until the hearing on Monday,” she added.

At 11:50 p.m., the LSB staff read the transfer order again, this time in the presence of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lopez said she immediately sought Duterte’s assistance, who later confirmed Lopez’s condition, which she said "gets triggered when she is under stress." 

Eyemard Eje, former assistant secretary of the Department of Transportation and head of the OVP Disaster Operations, said their office "received a call that her [Lopez's] doctor's help was urgently needed because she was having difficulty breathing."

An ambulance arrived at the House of Representatives’ North Gate at around 1:30 a.m. but was denied entry due to lack of clearance. 

At 3:24 a.m., a Philippine National Police ambulance from within the premises transported Lopez to Veterans Memorial Medical Center for assessment.

Lopez was later transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center after her “next of kin” insisted on the move, according to Duterte.

DUTERTE HITS ROMUALDEZ

Duterte lambasted Speaker Martin Romualdez for allegedly ordering a lockdown of the House premises, which she said delayed the ambulance’s entry and medical response.

“Martin Romualdez, ikaw magbayad lahat. Pag namatay ito, ikaw magbayad lahat… kasalanan mo ito kasi gusto mo mag-presidente, hinahabol mo ako,” Duterte said.

(Martin Romualdez, you will pay for this. If she dies, you will pay. This is your fault. Because you want to be president, you are coming after me)

Duterte and Romualdez, former allies in the ruling Lakas CMD party, have been at odds since the House began looking into confidential funds proposed for the OVP and DepEd budgets in the 2023 national budget.

These funds were eventually reallocated to other agencies, including the Philippine Coast Guard, in light of tension with China over the West Philippine Sea.

Duterte has been alleging that House hearings into her budget are part of an attempt to discredit her and to get her impeached. No impeachment complaint has been lodged against her at the House, where proceedings would be initiated.

Duterte visited Lopez at the House on Thursday night and had been staying at the office of her brother Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte despite objections from the House Sergeant-at-Arms and the House majority.