The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that more charges could be filed against Vice President Sara Duterte related to the incident involving her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez. Lopez was detained by the House of Representatives for contempt after refusing to answer questions about the Office of the Vice President’s spending.
The PNP already filed charges of direct assault, disobedience, and grave coercion against Duterte, her chief security officer, and others. The charges stem from the actions of Duterte’s staff interfering with the detention order, which involved a “forced transfer” of Lopez from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) to another hospital.
Duterte plans to file countercharges, including claims of disobedience, robbery, and kidnapping against the PNP. However, PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil emphasized that the charges were not politically motivated. He stressed that the law applies equally to everyone, no matter their political position, and that the police must enforce the law fairly without bias. He also warned against selective enforcement of the law, referring to criticisms of the previous administration’s actions.
Marbil highlighted that their duty is to protect and serve all citizens, and justice should never be selective.
