Sara Duterte visits detained chief-of-staff in Batasan

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday night visited her chief-of-staff, Zuleika Lopez, who is detained in the House of Representatives, and stayed at the office of her brother, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, House Secretary General  Reginald Velasco said Friday.

"Opo, dito siya natulog. Dumating po siya mga 7:40 p.m., nagkita po sila [ni Lopez] sa (Yes, she stayed here. She arrived around 7:40 p.m., they met at the_ visitors' center because it is already beyond the regular visiting hours which is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.," Velasco said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

"We received a request from the Vice President and pinagbigyan namin. Nauna iyong kanyang security and advance party, sumunod si Vice President (we granted their request. Her security and advance party were the first to arrive, followed by the Vice President). She was here before 8 p.m.," he added.

Velasco said the Vice President and the rest of her contingent slept in the House of Representatives, specifically at the office of Rep. Duterte.

"She coordinated [her visit to Lopez] with us and we provided additional security on top of her security, alerted the nearby Batasan police precinct here and even Quezon City police in case there are disturbances," he added.

Velasco said the Vice President is still in Batasang Pambansa as of Friday morning.

Lopez has been cited in contempt after she confirmed that she signed a letter asking state auditors not to comply with a subpoena from the House appropriations panel concerning submission of audit reports on the confidential fund use of the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education in years 2022 and 2023.

She was ordered detained until Monday, November 25, when the House good government and public accountability panel resumes its probe.

The Vice President has maintained that she has never misused public funds, and that the ongoing House panel inquiry is not in aid of legislation but a dry run of an impeachment bid against her.

Duterte had also said she will not issue a statement on Lopez's detention as requested by the latter.—AOL, GMA Integrated News