NAGING maayos ang pagtrato ng Kamara de Representantes kay Office of the Vice President (OVP) chief-of-staff Zuleika Lopez noong nakakulong pa ito sa detention facility ng Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso.

Ito ang siniguro ni House Deputy Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” S. Velasco bilang tugon sa alegasyon na pinabayaan ito lalo na noong nagkaroon ng medical emergency.

“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 was granted access to evaluate her condition,” sabi ni Velasco.

“An ambulance from the Quezon City Police District arrived shortly after, and by 3:08 a.m., she was en route to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC). Claims of a delayed response are unfounded,” dagdag pa nito.

Ayon kay Velasco idineklarang “stable” si Lopez matapos na ilipat sa VMMC at ganito rin ang naging resulta ng pagsusuri sa kanya sa St. Luke’s Medical Center.

“She received comprehensive medical care, and her safety was ensured at all times, with House representatives accompanying her,” saad ng opisyal ng Kamara.

Itinanggi rin ni Velasco ang alegasyon na hindi pinapasok ang abugado ni Lopez. Sinabi nito na walang abugado ang pumunta para kausapin si Lopez.

“Before any lawyer arrived at the House premises, Vice President Sara Duterte entered Atty. Lopez’s detention room and introduced herself as her legal counsel. At 12:25 a.m., Atty. Lito Go, another lawyer, was granted access to provide legal assistance,” paliwanag ni Velasco.

Sa halip na sumunod sa utos, sinabi ni Velasco na nagkulong si Lopez at Duterte at nagsagawa ng online press conference habang nasa detention room.

“This action delayed the implementation of the lawful transfer order,” sabi ng opisyal ng Kamara.

Wala rin umanong basehan ang sinasabi na kinumpiska ang mga cellphone.

“The claim that detainees’ phones were confiscated is false. Detainees and their companions are subject to specific time limits for phone usage as part of security protocols. Atty. Lopez and her companion voluntarily surrendered their phones after being politely informed that their time had ended,” ayon kay Velasco.

Ayon kay Velasco, nagsagawa ng pagpupulong ang Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability noong Nobyembre 22 at dito napagdesisyunan na ilipat si Lopez sa Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong City.

“Vice President Duterte blocked the detention room, preventing the immediate implementation of the transfer order. This behavior only complicated the situation further,” ani Velasco.

Sa kabila ng ginawang ito ni Duterte, sinabi ni Velasco na tiniyak pa rin ng Kamara na nasa maayos na kalagayan ang kalusugan ni Lopez.

“For humanitarian reasons, the Secretary General directed that Atty. Lopez remain at VMMC until she was stable enough for transfer,” paliwanag nito.

Iginiit ni Velasco ang pangako ng Kamara na pangalagaan ang karapatan ng mga detainee at ang makataong pagtrato sa mga ito.

“The House strictly follows due process and established protocols to safeguard the rights and safety of all detainees,” sabi ni Velasco.

“We remain steadfast in our duty to uphold accountability and respect for human rights,” dagdag pa nito. “We assure the public that all actions taken were in accordance with established guidelines, and any concerns raised will be thoroughly reviewed to ensure accountability and transparency.”