Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief-of-staff, Office of the Vice President (OVP) Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, is back at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 23, after being cleared by her doctors at the St. Luke’s Medical Center.
She was accompanied in her room by Vice President Sara Duterte, Senator Bato Dela Rosa, her lawyer Lito Go Jr., and other hospital personnel.
Lopez earlier felt ill and collapsed while in detention at the House custodial facility, where she was detained after being cited in contempt by lawmakers during the Nov. 21 House good government committee hearing on the OVP’s use of confidential funds.
She was brought first to Veterans Medical Hospital before being transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, where she was also visited by Dela Rosa and Sagip Party-List Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.
“Sino kasama ko dun (Who’s going to be with me there)?,” Lopez asked while crying as Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director PBGen. Nicolas Torre read the standing order from the House of Representatives to transfer her back to Veterans.
The OVP executive was also seen in the video clutching on Duterte’s waist as Torre read the order transfer from the House of Representatives.
“Iyan din sabi nyo sa akin kanina tapos dadalhin nyo ako sa correctional (That’s also what you told me earlier, but you planned on bringing me to the correctional),” a visibly emotional Lopez said.
She earlier collapsed and started vomiting after the House good government committee ordered her transfer to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluying City after Duterte insisted on staying at her brother’s Batasang Pambansa Complex office.
According to the order, which was signed “by authority of the Speaker,” Lopez’s transfer to the Veterans Medical Hospital was done after she has been cleared by her doctors at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City.
The order said this “is consistent with the standard practice of the House of Representatives to entrust detainees to government facilities.”
Prior to Lopez’s transfer, Torre was also seen in a video speaking with Duterte.
The CIDG director read Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s text message to both Lopez and Duterte.
According to Remulla, “all necessary security measures” to ensure Lopez’s safety will be accorded to her.
He also said that visiting rights will be given to the Vice President, Dela Rosa, and Senator Imee Marcos.
Remulla likewise allowed access to Lopez’s personal physicians during her confinement at the Veterans Memorial Hospital.
The Vice President said she would accompany her chief of staff while being confined at Veterans hospital upon the request of Lopez's mother.
Duterte earlier disclosed during an interview with reporters that what was done to Lopez was “attempted homicide” because her chief-of-staff was visibly anxious and scared of those who barged into her room at the House custodial facility to serve the order of her transfer to the women’s correctional.