VP Duterte blocks transfer of chief of staff to correctional facility in abuse of power spectacle

VICE-PRESIDENT Sara Duterte is again at the center of controversy for allegedly blocking the lawful transfer of her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City, in what the House Sergeant-At-Arms can only label as “alarming acts of defiance.”

Manila Rep. Joel Chua, chair of the House Blue Ribbon Committee, and House Sergeant-At-Arms Napoleon Taas held an early morning media briefing Saturday where the latter said Vice President Duterte disrupted the authority and operations of the House of Representatives again with her actions Friday night.

“The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, chaired by Rep. Joel R. Chua, has resolved to transfer Atty. Zuleika T. Lopez, Undersecretary and Chief of Staff of the Office of the Vice President, to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City,” Taas said.

“However, the execution of this lawful order was directly obstructed by Vice President Sara Duterte, who took the extraordinary step of introducing herself as Atty. Lopez’s legal counsel and physically intervening to prevent the service of the transfer order,” he added.

He noted that the Vice President’s intervention derailed the House’s protocols and demonstrated blatant disregard for institutional authority and due process.

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability had previously resolved to transfer Lopez following established rules and due process. 

However, Vice President Duterte’s actions, described as “acts of defiance,” included assuming the role of legal counsel for Lopez, issuing direct orders to House personnel and disregarding protocols governing House operations.

In explaining the transfer order, Chua said that the committee received two unusual letters related to Lopez. 

“Nakatanggap po kasi kami ng dalawang sulat. Yung isang sulat po ay galing po kay Cong. Pulong Duterte kung saan ini-inform po niya ang Committee na ang vice president daw ay pinapayagan niya na mag-stay sa kanyang opisina,” Chua stated.

The second letter, written by Vice President Duterte herself, contained a request to allow her to jog within the House premises. 

“At yung pangalawang sulat, nakatanggap po kami ng sulat mula sa Vice President na payagan siya na mag-jogging sa vicinity ng House of Representatives,” Chua disclosed.

The letters, coupled with social media posts about the issue, alarmed committee members, prompting a special Zoom meeting to address security concerns. 

“Na-alarm po ang ibang mga miyembro kasi may nagpo-post na po sa Facebook tungkol po dito sa mga sulat,” Chua shared.

The discussions centered on the risks posed by Lopez’s continued presence in the House. 

“Isa po sa napag-usapan ay yung mga security risk, hindi lang po ng ating House of Representatives pati na rin po ng ating vice president,” Chua explained. 

He added that members agreed on the need to transfer Lopez to a facility with better security capabilities. 

“Kaya napagdesisyunan ng mga miyembro na i-transfer sa pasilidad na mas may kapasidad, may kakayahan na maisecure,” he said.

Taas said the Vice President’s intervention escalated when she physically prevented the transfer of Lopez.

“This act of interference demonstrates a blatant disregard for institutional authority and due process, setting a dangerous precedent for abuse of power. The Vice President’s intervention came during her visit to the House detention facility, which had been initially permitted under specific guidelines,” Taas said.

“Instead of adhering to these parameters, Duterte escalated the situation by overstaying her visit and ignoring repeated directives from the Sergeant-at-Arms to leave the premises. She then locked herself inside the office of Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, prompting a lockdown of the entire House premises.”

According to Taas, here are the specific actions taken by the Vice President to block the order include:

1. Assuming the role of legal counsel for Atty. Lopez to impede the Committee’s directive;

2. Physically preventing House security personnel from executing the transfer order;

3. Disrupting House operations and disregarding established rules governing visits to detainees; and

4. Compromising security protocols by bringing an excessive and unauthorized armed presence into the complex.

He said the vice president’s actions caused significant disruptions, including excessive resource strain, reallocation of security personnel and compromised safety within the House premises.

“These alarming acts of defiance by Vice President Duterte severely undermined the authority of the House and disrupted its operations,” Taas stated in his report.