Manila: Leaders of the House of Representatives on Thursday dismissed a comment made by former Office of the Vice President chief of staff Zuleika Lopez, who urged the public to 'prepare for Typhoon Inday' before her upcoming testimony in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lopez's remark was made during an ambush interview at the Senate, where she is set to appear as a witness for the House prosecution when the impeachment trial resumes next week. In response to Lopez's comment, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union sarcastically suggested that the opposing side should be the ones preparing for the upcoming events.
'Oo, maghanda rin sila kasi usually 'pag bagyo wala sila. Kaya baka maghanda rin po sila. Nakahanda naman po kaming lahat (Yes, they should also prepare because usually, whenever there's a storm, they are missing. That's why they should also prepare because we are prepared),' Ortega stated during a press briefing.
Impeachment prosecutor San Juan City Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora took Lopez's comment literally, advising the public to prepare for the actual Typhoon Inday. 'Totoo naman pong may bagyong Inday, so maghanda po tayo para sa bagyo (There is really a Typhoon Inday, so we must prepare for the typhoon),' remarked Zamora, who is also a House assistant majority leader.
The House prosecution plans to continue presenting evidence on Monday, starting with the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regional director Jeremy Lotoc. Lopez is expected to testify later in the week on the fourth Article of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of making grave threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Lopez, as Duterte's former chief of staff, will testify on issues within her personal knowledge, relevant to the prosecution's case. Her 'Typhoon Inday' remark has fueled speculation about Duterte possibly reappearing before the Senate during the trial's proceedings next week. Previously, the Vice President attended the Senate during the trial's second day to consult with her defense lawyers but did not appear in the impeachment court.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Inday, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility this week as a super typhoon, was downgraded to a typhoon on Thursday. Despite the downgrade, the weather bureau warned that the cyclone, along with the enhanced southwest monsoon, could still result in strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rainfall across parts of the country.
