The chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, should grab the opportunity to defend herself and appear before the congressional hearings on the alleged misuse of public funds, House of Representatives Minority Leader Nonoy Libanan said.
“Normally, individuals who are blameless, when asked to explain, would seize the first available occasion to clear themselves of any wrongdoing,” Libanan explained.
“Normally, individuals who are blameless, when asked to explain, would seize the first available occasion to clear themselves of any wrongdoing,”
The House of Representatives’ Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability on Monday cited four other OVP officials in contempt for repeatedly snubbing its hearings.
Lopez also failed to attend the November 11 hearing, but was spared a contempt citation and given one last chance to attend the next hearing, after she wrote a letter to the committee explaining that she was in the US to take care of a sick aunt.
The contempt citation against OVP Assistant Secretary and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, Gina Acosta, Sunshine Fajarda and Edward Fajarda also carries a detention order.
“Their continued nonappearance, without a credible explanation, is bound to reinforce the perception that they are trying to evade responsibility for potential irregularities.”
“Their continued nonappearance, without a credible explanation, is bound to reinforce the perception that they are trying to evade responsibility for potential irregularities,” Libanan warned.
The veteran legislator described as “strange and out of the ordinary” the repeated absence of Lopez and the four other OVP officials, despite multiple summons.
Lopez left the county on November 4, or the day before the previous hearing on November 5.
“If they have nothing to hide, then they should show up at the hearings. They should answer and dispute the allegations of anomalies,” the seasoned lawmaker concluded.
