Sara Duterte's supporters hold vigil at VMMC

Supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday night flocked to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City, where her chief of staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez has been confined.

The group particularly wanted to convey to the Vice President their support amid the issues that she is facing, including the House investigation into how her office used its budget as well as confidential funds.

A tight security, led by Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, is currently being implemented inside and outside of VMMC, based on a Super Radyo dzBB report of Christian Maño on Sunday.

Some of Duterte’s supporters also stayed overnight at the gate of the hospital to wait for updates.

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa also joined Duterte in accompanying Lopez overnight at the VMMC, based on a tweet of GMA Integrated News’ Bea Pinlac on Sunday.

Sen. Bato dela Rosa joined Vice President Sara Duterte in accompanying OVP chief of staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez overnight.

Lopez is currently confined at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. @gmanews @dzbb pic.twitter.com/PlSCIdcddN

— Beatrice (@beatricepinlac) November 23, 2024

Senator Bong Go also went to the VMMC from Davao City on Saturday night to show support for Duterte and the entire Office of the Vice President (OVP).

In Davao City, around 600 people also gathered at the Rizal Park on Saturday evening to light candles and hold a prayer rally.

Duterte served as mayor of Davao City before being elected as vice president.

Lopez was brought earlier to the VMMC early Saturday after she felt ill following the lower chamber’s order to transfer her to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW). She was later transferred to St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City after a commotion with the Philippine National Police, then was ordered by the House to be transferred back to VMMC.

The OVP chief of staff was ordered detained at the House of Representatives after she was cited in contempt on Wednesday for her supposed "undue interference" in the panel’s investigation into the confidential funds of offices held by Duterte.

An emotional Lopez later on faced a virtual news conference to express her concern about the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability's decision to remove her from the House detention facility in the middle of the night.

During the same conference, Duterte said she contracted an assassin to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez, should anything bad happen to her.

The Presidential Communications Office on Saturday said that threats made by Duterte against Marcos has been referred to the Presidential Security Command for immediate proper action.

Lopez has also expressed her intent to resign from her post, according to Duterte.

The Vice President also clarified that her assassination statement was not a threat.

She also compared her remarks to her earlier declaration that, should attacks against her continue, she would excavate the remains of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and throw them in the West Philippine Sea. —Giselle Ombay/KG, GMA Integrated News