The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the charges of direct assault, disobedience to authority, and grave coercion filed against Vice President Sara Duterte in connection with the incident at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center last November.
In addition, Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, who leads the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), and several unidentified individuals were also named as respondents in the complaint.
The filing of the case stemmed from a commotion that escalated in a scuffle that occurred when Office of the Vice President (OVP) Chief of Staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez was transferred from the Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center to St. Luke’s Medical Center.
Based on the resolution signed by City Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano, the evidence presented was insufficient to support the accusations made by police complainant PLt. Col. Van Jason Villamor, the head of the QCPD Medical and Dental Unit.
"The alleged commission of Direct Assault, Disobedience to Authority and Grave Coercion is not supported by evidence. Interestingly, not one of the witnesses of PLtCol Villamor corroborated his claims regarding the purported attack, employment of physical force, intimidation, resistance, disobedience, violence and threats," the decision read.
"They did not narrate the encounter between the parties in their respective affidavits. They also did not discuss the behaviour of PLtCol Villamor after the incident, which could have persuaded us that he was threatened and intimidated, if at all," it added.
Furthermore, the decision pointed out that the video footage submitted as evidence contradicted Villamor's statements. Given these factors, the complaints were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
BREAKING: Kasong isinampa ng QCPD laban kay VP @indaysara, ibinasura ng QC Prosecutor's Office | @dzrh5 Val Gonzales, DZRH News pic.twitter.com/4Vmz2T6hZT
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) January 28, 2025
Lopez was initially detained in the House of Representatives after being cited for contempt due to her alleged "undue interference" in the investigation by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability into the alleged misuse of confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) under Duterte's leadership.
She was then hospitalized after allegedly falling ill, amid the House of Representatives’ directive for her transfer to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Mandaluyong.
