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NI ROMEO ALLAN BUTUYAN II
TALIWAS sa paratang ni Vice President Sara Duterte, walang ginawang pagmamaltrato laban sa chief of staff ng Office of the Vice President na nasa kustodiya ng Kamara, ayon kay House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
Ani Velasco, pawang kasinungalingan ang paratang ng kampo ni Vice President Sara Duterte sa di umano’y hindi magandang, kasabay ng giit na sinusunod ng kanyang tanggapan ang umiiral na “protocol’ sa lahat ng nasa custodial center ng mababang kapulungan.
“The House of Representatives ensures that all actions involving detainees held within the institution’s custodial center are guided by established protocols, due process, and a commitment to humane treatment. Allow me to address the concerns raised point by point and provide clarifications based on observations from the House legal team,” pahayag ni Velasco.
Unang sinagot ng House SecGen ang umano’y pagtanggi ng Kamara na papasukin sa Batasan Complex ang mga abogado ng detenidong OVP chief of staff na si Atty. Zuleika Lopez.
“The Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms has no record of any lawyer being denied entry to meet with Atty. Zuleika Lopez during the service of the transfer order at 11:27 p.m. Before any lawyer arrived at the House premises, Vice President Sara Duterte entered Atty. Lopez’s detention room at 11:40 p.m. and introduced herself as her legal counsel,” ayon kay Velasco.
Katunayan aniya, ang bise-presidente at si Lopez ang ayaw magpapasok sa House security personnel na inatasan ipatupad ang transfer order na binasa lang sa labas ng detention room.
“At 12:25 a.m., Atty. Lopez’s other lawyer, Atty. Lito Go, was granted access to the detention center. The Vice President and Atty. Go were with Atty. Lopez the whole time to provide her legal assistance. However, instead of complying with the transfer order, Atty. Lopez, with the Vice President by her side conducted a press conference via Zoom at 1:00 a.m.,” bwelta ng ranking House official.
“The House strictly upholds the legal rights of all detainees. Any delays in communication or actions were the result of routine security protocols. Furthermore, during Atty. Lopez’s medical emergency, House personnel promptly facilitated the entry of healthcare professionals and ensured her safety and well-being,” dagdag niya.
Mariin din niyang itinanggi na kinuha o sapilitang kinumpiska ng security personnel ng Kamara ang mga telepono ng kabilang panig.
“The claim that detainees’ phones were confiscated is false. As part of established security protocols, detainees and their companions are subject to specific time limits for phone usage. Atty. Lopez and her companion voluntarily surrendered their phones after being politely informed by duty officers that their allotted time had ended. These protocols are uniformly enforced to maintain order and security within the facility and apply to all detainees without exception,” dugtong ni Velasco.
Ayon kay Velasco, agad na tinugunan ang ‘emergency’ ni Lopez.
“At 2:29 a.m. on November 23, 2024, Atty. Lopez exhibited symptoms of a medical emergency, including vomiting and signs of a panic attack. By 2:35 a.m., her doctor, Dr. Tiamson, was granted access to evaluate her condition. By 3:00 a.m., an ambulance from the Quezon City Police District arrived, and by 3:08 a.m., Atty. Lopez was en route to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC). Claims of a delayed response are unfounded. This timeline demonstrates the swift and coordinated actions of House personnel. After receiving a clean bill of health at VMMC, Atty. Lopez was later transported to St. Luke’s Medical Center by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) staff for further evaluation. She was declared stable and subsequently returned to VMMC, accompanied by House representatives to ensure her safety.”
Ipinagtanggol din ni Velasco ang kautusan ng House committee para ilipat si Lopez sa Women’s Correctional Facility sa Mandaluyong City.
“The Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability held a duly convened meeting on November 22, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., where a unanimous decision was made to transfer Atty. Lopez to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City. Vice President Sara Duterte obstructed the implementation of this lawful order by blocking the detention room. This was followed by Atty. Lopez’s medical emergency. For humanitarian reasons and to safeguard her well-being, the Secretary General directed that Atty. Lopez remained at VMMC instead of proceeding with the transfer. This decision reflects the House’s commitment to prioritizing detainees’ health and safety in all circumstances.”
“The House of Representatives remains steadfast in its duty to act with fairness, diligence, and respect for human rights. We assure the public that all concerns will be reviewed thoroughly to ensure accountability and transparency.”
