MANILA, Philippines – Umalis na ng Batasan Compex si Vice President Sara Duterte at sinamahan ang kanyang Chief of Staff na si Zuleika Lopez para sa isang medical check up matapos iutos ng Kamara na ilipat ito sa Women’s Correctional.
Alas 3:01 ng umaga nang umalis si VP Sara na sakay ng ambulansya ng Philippine National Police kung saan naroon si Lopez na nakastretcher at dadalin naman Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) sa Quezon City.
Si VP Sara ay matatandaang nanatili sa Batasan mula noong Huwebes ng gabi sa kabila ng pakiusap ni House Sergeant-at-Arms Napoleon Taas na unalis dahil na rin sa isyu ng seguridad at hindi awtorisado na manatili ito sa Batasan complex.
Sa bisa ng kautusan ng House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability ay ililipat si Lopez sa Women’s Correctional Facility sa Mandaluyong City.
Si Lopez ay una nang pinatawan ng contempt ng komite at nakakulong mula pa Nobyembre 20.
Samantala, binatikos naman ni Taas ang nakakaalarmang “acts of defiance’ ni VP Sara na hinahadlangan umano ang transfer order ng Kamara.
“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,” pahayag ni Taas sa isang press conference.
“This act of interference demonstrates a blatant disregard for institutional authority and due process, seting a dangerous precedent for abuse of power,” dagdag pa nito.
Ipinaliwanag ni Taas na pinalala ni VP Sara ang sitwasyon dahil sa kanyang ginawang “overstaying visit” at hindi pagsunod sa rules ng Kamara.
Matapos ang visiting hours ay matatandaang pinaalis na si VP Sara subalit nagkulong ito sa opisina ni Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte kaya naman iniutos ni Taas ang lockdown.
“VP Sara compromised protocols by bringing an excessive and unauthorized armed presence into the complex. There is a strict no fireeam policy inside the House, something that even congressmen adhere to,” paliwanag ni Taas.
“These alarming acts of defiance by Vice President Duterte severely undermined the authority of the House and disrupted its operations,” pagtatapos pa ni Taas. Gail Mendoza
