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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Zuleika Lopez says 'Prepare for Typhoon Inday' after Senate appearance

Zuleika Lopez says 'Prepare for Typhoon Inday' after Senate appearance

Published Jul 9, 2026 11:58 am
Dropping by the Senate premises on Thursday, Vice President Sara Duterte's chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez told reporters, "Prepare for Typhoon Inday"—a remark that may be interpreted in more ways than one.
Atty. Zuleika Lopez, Chief of Staff of Vice President Sara Duterte, leaves the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Thursday, July 9, 2026. The Senate impeachment court ordered the issuance of a subpoena directing Lopez to appear as a witness after both the prosecution and defense identified her testimony as material to the proceedings in the impeachment trial of the Vice President. (Mark Balmores)
Atty. Zuleika Lopez, Chief of Staff of Vice President Sara Duterte, leaves the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Thursday, July 9, 2026. The Senate impeachment court ordered the issuance of a subpoena directing Lopez to appear as a witness after both the prosecution and defense identified her testimony as material to the proceedings in the impeachment trial of the Vice President. (Mark Balmores)
Lopez gave this comment a day after the Senate impeachment court granted the House prosecution panel's request to issue a subpoena compelling her to testify during next week's scheduled trial.
She refused to answer questions related to the impeachment proceedings.
According to Senate Secretary Renato Bantug, her attendance is there for "administrative matters" and has nothing to do with the impeachment case.
On its face, Lopez's statement appeared to refer to Typhoon "Inday", which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and was expected to bring heavy rains to parts of the country.
But in the political context, the remark was difficult to miss. "Inday" is also the longtime nickname of Vice President Duterte, the respondent in the ongoing impeachment trial. 
Lopez figured prominently in the events of Nov. 23, 2024, when Duterte rushed to the House of Representatives after the former was cited in contempt and detained during an inquiry into the alleged misuse of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
While at the House complex, Duterte held a late-night virtual press conference during which she declared that she had instructed someone to kill President Marcos., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez should an alleged plot against her succeed.
Those statements later became the basis for one of the articles of impeachment against the vice president.

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impeachment court Vice President Sara Duterte Zuleika Lopez
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