Solons assail VP Sara’s blatant disregard for institutional authority

By Zaldy De Layola, Philippine News Agency

In a press briefing, Taas noted that the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, chaired by Chua, has resolved to transfer Lopez to the Women’s Correctional Facility following established rules and due process. (File Photo: House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The House of Representatives Blue Ribbon Committee, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, and House Sergeant-At-Arms Napoleon Taas on Saturday assailed Vice President Sara Duterte’s “alarming acts of defiance” and “blatant disregard for institutional authority.”

This was after the Vice President disrupted the authority and operations of the House on Friday night for blocking the lawful transfer of the Office of the Vice President Chief of Staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City.

In a press briefing, Taas noted that the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, chaired by Chua, has resolved to transfer Lopez to the Women’s Correctional Facility following established rules and due process.

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

Taas said 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.

Meanwhile, Chua said 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.

Chua also pointed out that under the law, a sitting Vice President is not allowed to perform his/her profession.

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

“Nakatanggap po kasi kami ng dalawang sulat. Yung isang sulat po ay galing po kay Congressman Pulong Duterte kung saan ini-inform po niya ang Committee na ang Vice President daw ay pinapayagan niya na mag-stay sa kanyang opisina (We received two letters. One came from Congressman Pulong Duterte informing the panel that he is allowing the Vice President to stay in his office),” Chua said.

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

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

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 (One of the issues was the security risks, not only for the House of Representatives, but also for the Vice President),” Chua explained.

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

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,” he 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.”

Taas also noted that Duterte compromised security protocols by bringing an excessive and unauthorized armed presence into the complex.

“These alarming acts of defiance by Vice President Duterte severely undermined the authority of the House and disrupted its operations,” he said.

Meanwhile, TINGOG Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said the continued unwarranted presence of Duterte at the House is “a blatant act of hypocrisy” in light of her refusal to address pressing issues of public accountability.

In a statement, Acidre said the Vice President had repeatedly denied invitations from the House Committee on Good Government and Accountability to explain the disbursement and use of more than half a billion pesos in confidential funds but went to the House to visit her chief of staff in what can only be called “political theatrics.”

“The Vice President’s presence, when unaccompanied by accountability, is an affront to the principles of transparency and good governance. The best way forward is for the Vice President to abandon these unnecessary theatrics and adhere to the rule of law,” he said.

“It is high time for Vice President Duterte to prioritize public accountability over political spectacle and respect the constitutional principles she swore to uphold.”