Jamaine Punzalan

Atty. Zuleika Lopez, the chief of staff of Vice President Sara Duterte, attends the resumption of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability inquiry on Nov. 20, 2024 into the alleged misuse of public funds by the OVP and the DepEd under Duterte. Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17834059195692-Composite (1) 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Atty. Zuleika Lopez, the chief of staff of Vice President Sara Duterte, and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag. Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News/Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The prosecution panel has sought to present Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez, as witness in the impeachment trial.</p><p>The panel filed before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday a request for the issuance of a subpoena for Lopez and National Bureau of Investigation Director  Melvin Matibag to “appear and testify” on July 13, 14, and 15. </p><p>“Their testimonies are material, relevant, and necessary to establish the allegations under Article IV, of the Articles of Impeachment, as well as matters necessarily incidental thereto, and for purposes of the identification and authentication of other evidence before the Impeachment Court,” a copy of the request provided by the Prosecution Panel stated.</p><p>Article IV accuses Duterte of contracting to allegedly assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">Impeachment Trial of Sara Duterte </a></div><p>In an online briefing on November 23, 2024, the Vice President said, “May kinausap na ako na tao. Sinabi ko sa kanya, kapag pinatay ako, patayin mo si BBM, si Liza Araneta, at si Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke.”</p><p>She issued the statement after visiting Lopez, who was then detained at the House of Representatives after she was cited in contempt by a House panel over “undue interference” in its proceedings.</p><div><em></em><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/live-updates-vice-president-sara-duterte-s-impeachment-trial-day-2-1401">LIVE UPDATES: Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s Impeachment Trial (Day 2) </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/duterte-security-team-at-senate-no-confirmation-if-vp-to-attend-trial-1127">Sara Duterte on impeachment trial: &#x27;I will be bloodied but unbowed&#x27;</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/bir-receives-duterte-tax-records-sent-back-by-impeachment-court-1123">BIR receives Duterte tax records sent back by impeachment court </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/97cknrJyLWg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/bir-receives-duterte-tax-records-sent-back-by-impeachment-court-1123"></a><em><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/bir-receives-duterte-tax-records-sent-back-by-impeachment-court-1123"></a></em><br/></div>

<p>The prosecution panel has asked the Senate impeachment court to issue a subpoena for Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag. </p>

The prosecution panel has asked the Senate impeachment court to issue a subpoena for Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag.

Prosecution asks impeachment court to summon Duterte aide, NBI chief

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Prosecution asks impeachment court to summon Duterte aide, NBI chief

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 07, 2026 02:32 PM PHT

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Updated July 07, 2026 02:58 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

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Duterte impeachment

impeachment

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