Atty. Zuleika Lopez, the chief of staff for Vice President Sara Duterte, made a mysterious appearance at the Senate on Thursday, just a day after the impeachment court viewed a viral 2024 clip of a tearful Duterte during a virtual press briefing.
While present at the Senate building in Pasay City, Lopez stayed silent regarding the exact purpose of her visit. However, she left the media with an ambiguous and pointed message.
“Prepare for typhoon ‘Inday,’” Lopez stated as she exited the building.
The statement coincided with the state weather bureau’s monitoring of Typhoon Inday (international name: Bavi), located approximately 865 kilometers east of Northern Luzon.
Nonetheless, onlookers interpreted the comment as a double entendre, given that “Inday” is the widely recognized nickname of the Vice President.
Lopez, a close confidante of Duterte, did not specify if she would comply with a Senate subpoena requiring her to testify as a witness for the House prosecution panel.
Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr. later clarified that Lopez’s presence was for a coordination meeting to finalize administrative and logistical details, including room assignments for the second week of the trial.
Presiding Officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has scheduled Lopez to testify before the impeachment court on July 13 and 14.