Vice President Sara Duterte has come under fire from House leaders for allegedly violating security protocols during a visit to the House of Representatives detention center.
Duterte reportedly visited her detained chief-of-staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, and stayed beyond the permitted hours, raising concerns about protocol breaches.
Senior Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales, Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, and Deputy Speaker David Suarez expressed dismay, stating that special allowances were made for the Vice President to visit Lopez past regular hours.
However, after the visit, Duterte went to her brother, Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte’s office, ignoring multiple warnings from the Sergeant-at-Arms to leave the premises.
This prompted a temporary lockdown for the safety of lawmakers and staff. The incident led the leaders to issue a stern reminder: Congress is not a place for personal privileges, regardless of rank or position.
“The House of Representatives is not anyone’s personal space,” the leaders stressed. They vowed to strengthen and fairly enforce protocols to protect the integrity of the institution.
The incident has sparked debate, with critics accusing Duterte of undermining institutional security and order.
