Office of the Vice President (OVP) Undersecretary and Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff, lawyer Zuleika Lopez. INQUIRER / GRIG MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said his office had already prepared for the possible detention of lawyer Zuleika Lopez at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW).
Lopez, an undersecretary at the Office of the Vice President (OVP), was cited for contempt for committing undue interference to the House of Representative committee hearing on the use of confidential funds.
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“It is already settled, Just like [what we did with] Cassandra Ong, who is already there. We have an adjacent room that is just as big, comfortable, and has air conditioning. We will accommodate if there’s an order lang,” Catapang said.
Catapang said, as in the case of Ong, who is linked to a Philippine offshore gaming operations hub, they will be isolated from the other inmates because, unlike the others, Ong’s case was still under trial while Lopez was in detention for contempt.
He also assured that BuCor had a medical team ready to attend to the needs of the detainees.
“We have a medical unit inside. In fact, Cassandra Ong is equally situated. She is asking for medical attention and we are giving it to her,” he said.