Vice President Sara Duterte shared on Tuesday that her chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, plans to take legal action after the House of Representatives extended her detention order from five to ten days. Lopez is being held in contempt after allegedly making false claims about a security incident at the House, which was contradicted by video evidence.
Duterte expressed concern over the extended detention, calling it “illegal,” and revealed that Lopez has already begun consulting with her lawyers, with her mother—who has legal knowledge—offering support. Duterte also updated the public about Lopez’s health, noting she had been hospitalized since Saturday but is no longer crying.
Meanwhile, Duterte provided an update on another staff member, Gina Acosta, who was rushed to the hospital after the House hearing. Acosta had a CT scan to check for signs of a stroke, though the results were not immediately available. Acosta had been questioned about her role in approving a P125 million fund from the Office of the Vice President in 2022.