Nanindigan si House Secretary General Reginald Velasco na siniguro ng Kamara, salig sa nakalatag na protocols at due process, ang kapakanan at karapatan ng lahat ng detainees, kasama na si Office of the Vice President (OVP) Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez.
Aniya, nang basahin kay Atty. Lopez, 11:27 gabi ng Biyernes, ang transfer order ay wala talaga siyang kasamang abogado.
Pagsapit naman ng 11:40 ng gabi, iprenisenta ni Vice President Sara Duterte ang kaniyang sarili bilang counsel ni Lopez. At 12:25, Sabado ng umaga nang dumating ang isa pang abogado ni Lopez na si Atty. Lito Go.
“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. The House strictly upholds the legal rights of all detainees. Any delays in communication or actions were the result of routine security protocols,” diin ni Velasco.
Pinabulaanan din niya ang pagkumpiska umano sa mga telepono ng detainees.
Aniya, malayang makagamit ng mobile phones ang mga detainees ngunit mayroon lamang takdang oras.
“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,” sabi pa niya.
Nang makaranas naman ng medical emergency si Lopez bandang 2:29 ng madaling araw, gaya ng pagsusuka at panic attack, agad ding nabigyan ng access ang kaniyang doktor na si Dr. Tiamson para siya at matignan pagsapit ng 2:35 am.
At 3:08 am ay ibiniyahe na aniya si Lopez pa-Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) lulan ng ambulansya ng Quezon City Police District.
“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 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,” Dagdag ni Velasco.
Bilang konsiderasyon din aniya sa kaniyang medikal na kalagayan, nagdesisyon si Velasco na hayaang manatili si Lopez sa VMMC imbes na ituloy ang paglilipat sa kaniya sa Women’s Correctional Facility salig sa atas ng Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.
“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 remain 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,” giit ng House Secretary General. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
