Leaders of the House of Representatives have criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for violating the institution’s policies while spending the night in her brother’s office.

In a statement, House Vice Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Majority Leader Manuel José Dalipe and Vice President David Suarez said Duterte refused to heed pleas from their sergeant-at-arms to leave the building, which led to the declaration of a lockdown to ensure the safety and security of the people there, as well as the institution.

“I love to name ipaalala on everything, lalo na sa opisyal ng gobyerno, which can be used to protocol sinusoidally in Malaking Kapulungan to ensure safety and security. Hindi ito basta-basta nilalabag kahit sino pa ang tao. It must be done so that it is possible and respects the institutions of taumbayan,” they said.

(We would like to remind everyone, especially government officials, that we have policies and protocols in place in the House of Representatives to ensure safety and order. These should not be easily violated , regardless of the person. If not, followed, it’s like we are destroying respect for the institution that serves the public.)

“The Malaking Kapulungan is for everyone Filipino. Hindi is a place to abuse or gawk at personal space kahit pa sino ka. Don’t you want things to be simple, but you can have the worst responsibility to get your message out there? they added.

(The House of Representatives is for all Filipinos. It is not a place to be abused or turned into a personal space, no matter who you are. If there is no respect for simple rules, how can we be sure that they will be able to enforce the greater responsibilities entrusted to them by the people?)

Thursday evening, November 21, after visiting her chief of staff, Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, who was arrested after being cited for contempt of court by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability in the As part of his ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the use of funds from the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Duterte went directly to the office of Davao First District Representative Paolo Duterte, and spent the night there.

Duterte then returned to visit Lopez on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, committee chairman Joel Chua said it rejected Duterte’s request to join Lopez in detention.

“Hindi po siya (Vice President Duterte) authorized (the detention) of detainee kasi hindi naman siya,” Chua said in a press conference.

(She (Vice President Duterte) is not allowed (inside the detention) because she is not an inmate.)

“Hindi po natin napagbigyan kasi mayroon po tayong sinusunod na directives,” he added.

(We were unable to grant it because we have guidelines that we follow.)

Earlier, Duterte said she felt compassion for her staff who were being dragged amid political attacks aimed at cornering her.

Lopez was charged with contempt for “improper interference” after admitting to signing a letter sent to the Commission on Audit, asking it not to cooperate with the panel’s subpoena for audit reports on the OVP and the Department of Education’s (DepEd) use of confidential data. funds.

The panel is investigating allegations of misappropriation of public funds by the said agencies under Duterte’s leadership. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)