Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed on January 17, 2025 the cases filed by a Philippine National Police (PNP) doctor against Vice President Sara Duterte and her security personnel that stemmed from a scuffle during the detention and hospitalization of the vice president’s Chief of Staff, lawyer Zuleika Lopez, in November last year.
The resolution, which was signed by City Prosecutor Vimar M. Barcellano, resolved the complaint for violation of Article 148 (direct assault), Article 151 (disobedience to authority), and Article 286 (grave coercion) filed by complainant Lt. Col. Van Jason Conag Villamor against Duterte, Col. Raymund Dante Petina Lachica, John Does and Jane Does.
The complaint emanated on November 23, 2024 in the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City involving the transfer of Lopez, from VMMC to St. Luke’s Medical Center via a private ambulance.
Barcellano stated in the resolution that on the alleged commission of direct assault, disobedience to authority and grave coercion were not supported by evidence.
“Interestingly, not one of the witnesses of Villamor corroborated his claims regarding the purported attack, employment of physical force, intimidation, resistance, disobedience, violence, and threats,” Barcellano said.
Barcellano also stated that the video footage submitted by Villamor negates his own asseverations.
“Being so, we are constrained to dismiss the complaint for insufficiency of evidence,” she said.
Barcellano added that the complaint against the John Does and Jane Does is recommended to be dismissed without prejudice to re-filing once their identities and whereabouts are ascertained.
It can be recalled that Lopez, whom a House panel was cited for contempt and ordered detained at the House of Representatives detention facility.
Lopez was confined at the VMMC in November 23 after she fell ill following the panel’s order to remove her from the House detention facility and transfer her to the Correctional Institution for Women in the middle of the night.
The vice president even criticized Speaker Martin Romualdez for purportedly directing a lockdown of the House grounds, claiming it hindered the ambulance’s arrival and medical assistance.
The conflict between Duterte and Romualdez began when the House started investigating the confidential funds proposed for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) budget in the 2023 national budget.
Duterte has claimed that the House hearings regarding her budget are an effort to undermine her and will lead to her impeachment.
