House panel moves to cite OVP exec Lopez for contempt

France Castro —House of Representatives/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives’ committee on good government and public accountability has moved to cite Office of the Vice President (OVP) Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez for contempt, as lawmakers found her committing undue interference in the panel’s hearings.

During the committee’s hearing on Wednesday, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro moved to cite Lopez for contempt, due to the OVP official’s letter to the Commission on Audit (COA) asking that the agency refrain from giving the House the audit observations on OVP’s confidential funds (CF) expenses.

Castro believes that Lopez and the OVP were ordering COA — which would have prevented the House from scrutinizing the office’s transactions.

The motion was approved by panel chairperson and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, after it was duly seconded.

Lopez will be detained at the House premises for a period of five days, or until November 25 — the next scheduled hearing of the committee.

Prior to the motion by Castro, lawmakers were already frustrated with Lopez, as he insisted that there were matters in the OVP that she was not privy to despite being Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief-of-staff.

Lopez appealed that her contempt order be reconsidered, apologizing to Castro and noting that the letter to COA was just a request. Castro then said that there were other issues to be considered — like Lopez being evasive in her answers to lawmakers’ questions.

Before Lopez was cited for contempt, Deputy Speaker David Suarez in particular asked Lopez how come she insists not knowing about the OVP’s CF transactions when it was her who wrote the response to different letters and summons regarding this issue.

This includes the OVP’s answer to COA’s audit observation memorandum (AOM).

READ: Solons quiz Lopez over claims she doesn’t know OVP secret fund deals 

Later, Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop made the same observations, that Lopez’ letters to COA show that she knows the ins and outs of OVP’s CF transactions.

Acop also said Lopez is lying, because it appeared she was knowledgeable of the CF transactions.

This led Acop to ask Lopez if she was the one who wrote the letter to COA, asking that the commission refrain from releasing audit observations regarding OVP’s confidential expenses. In response, Lopez admitted that it was Lemuel Ortonio, OVP’s Assistant Chief-of-Staff and chairperson of the agency’s Bids and Awards Committee.