Vice President Sara Duterte alleged Speaker Martin Romualdez's supposed interest to become president is the reason behind House of Representatives' probe on her offices' funds. Screengrab from video of Jessie Cruzat, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday did not mince words as her detained chief of staff Zuleika Lopez was transferred from Veterans Memorial Medical Center to St. Luke's Medical Center, both in Quezon City, amid tension between her office and the House of Representatives.

Duterte claimed the House probe on how the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) used their confidential funds is due to Speaker Martin Romualdez' supposed interest to run as president.

"Ginagamit nila 'yung COA para humingi nang humingi hanggang makahanap [sila] ng anong pwedeng gamitin... All because gusto ni Martin Romualdez mag-president," she said.

(They are using COA to look information that they can use... All because Martin Romualdez wants to be a president)

Although most congressional hearings are in aid of legislation, Congress can also hold probes in the exercise of its oversight function on government agencies, programs and projects.

Duterte claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cannot "control" Romualdez, his cousin, and restrain him from allegedly using the probe for his supposed ambitions.

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Romualdez has not participated in the hearings of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability but has commented that it would be good for Duterte to attend the hearings and answer questions on the confidential funds.

“Eh ‘di dapat lang siyang sumipot at mag-oath at mag-salita… Siya lang yata may alam kung anong nangyari diyan sa mga pondo, kaya dapat siya ang mag-eksplika,” Romualdez said during a chance interview in Albay on Thursday.

(Then she should appear, take her oath and testify. It seems only she knows what happened to the funds, so she really should explain)

She also said that officials are "fishing for evidence" so they can "demolish a family that is a threat to [their] personal gain."

Duterte has floated a supposed plan to have her impeached and has repeatedly said that questions on her office's use of confidential funds are a political attack on her.

The Vice President stressed that what the government must prioritize is working to be a competitive country and have a first world economy.

Lopez was brought to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center after she felt ill when authorities read the order for her transfer to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.

VP FEARS FOR TOP AIDE'S HEALTH, SAFETY

Duterte confronted police when Lopez was to be brought to St. Luke's Medical Center from Veterans.

"Saan 'yan pupunta sir? Nakita mo 'yung condition niya? Paano tatakbo 'yan? Sumunod kayo ng lawful orders, 'wag 'yung alam ninyo na injustice na siya sa mga tao," she emotionally told the cops.

(Where will she go, sir? You saw her condition? How can she travel? Follow lawful orders, not those [orders] which you know are injustice to people)

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"I really do not know right now what will happen to her," Duterte said after the hospital transfer, saying Lopez was not responding to questions.

She also called the transfer order an "attempted homicide" by causing Lopez too much stress.

"Kapag nakakita siya ng uniform ng pulis, natataranta siya," Duterte said.

(When she sees people in police uniforms, she gets flustered)

She said that there was no need to transfer Lopez or to send uniformed personnel into her detention room since her chief of staff was cooperating with the panel already.

TENSION BETWEEN HOUSE, VP DUTERTE

Lopez was detained at the House after being cited for contempt for alleged "undue interference" in the proceedings. Duterte was given special permission to visit her, but refused to leave and stayed at her brother Rep. Paolo Duterte's office instead.

• VP Duterte blocks House order to transfer chief-of-staff to Mandaluyong

In an online briefing, Lopez faced the media and said authorities barged into her detention room at midnight, ordering her transfer to the correctional facility.

She was then accompanied by Duterte.

 • VP Duterte expresses sympathy for her staff being grilled at House probe

Duterte previously called out how the House grilled her subordinates over P612.5 million in confidential expenses of her offices in 2022 and 2023. She stressed that the members of her staff are not politicians and should not be caught in the middle of political differences.

House leadership has been firm that it was Duterte who passed the responsibility of explaining the funds use on to her staff. 

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