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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ranking solons give 'meh' reaction to Zuleika's 'Typhoon Inday' warning

Ranking solons give 'meh' reaction to Zuleika's 'Typhoon Inday' warning

Published Jul 9, 2026 01:45 pm

At A Glance

  • Lawmakers react with indifference to OVP chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez's "Prepare for Typhoon Inday" remark, with Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega offering a sarcastic response.
  • Prosecutor Ysabel Maria Zamora interprets Lopez's statement literally, noting Typhoon Inday's presence in the PAR despite its downgrade from super typhoon to typhoon.
  • Lopez is set to testify on July 14 in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, expected to provide firsthand knowledge on grave threat allegations under Article IV.
Zuleika Lopez (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Zuleika Lopez (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)


In a word, meh.
Ranking congressmen gave such reaction to Office of the Vice President (OVP) chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez's witty “Prepare for Typhoon Inday” remark on Thursday, July 9 when she dropped by the Senate.
Lopez is scheduled to give hee testimony in the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 14 in what is expected to be an emotionally-charged hearing.
Asked for a reaction during a press conference Thursday at the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V responded with a sarcastic quip.
“Oo, maghanda rin sila kasi usually ‘pag bagyo wala sila. Kaya baka maghanda rin po sila. Nakahanda naman po kaming lahat,” Ortega said.
(Yes, they should also prepare because usually during storms they are not around. So they might as well prepare. We are all ready anyway.)
Meanwhile, impeachment prosecutor San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora declined to read anything more into Lopez’s remark and instead took it literally.
“Totoo naman pong may bagyong Inday, so maghanda po tayo para sa bagyo,” Zamora, also an House assistant majority leader, said.
Respondent Duterte is famously known as "Inday" among her supporters.
If anything, Lopez made a reference to a declining weather problem. Typhoon "Inday", which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this week as a super typhoon, weakened into a typhoon on Thursday as it continued moving west-northwestward over the Philippine Sea, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Despite the downgrade, the state weather bureau warned that the cyclone and the enhanced southwest monsoon could still bring strong winds, rough seas and heavy rainfall to parts of the country.
Lopez is expected to take the witness stand on matters related to the fourth article of impeachment, which accuses Duterte of making grave threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
As Duterte's former chief of staff, Lopez is expected to testify on matters within her personal knowledge relevant to the prosecution’s presentation of evidence on the charge.

Related Tags

Zuleika Lopez Inday IMPEACHMENT Sara Duterte impeachment trial Paolo Ortega Ysabel Maria Zamora
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