Sara Duterte impeach trial: Subpoena served to VP's aide Zuleika Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court served on Thursday a subpoena ad testificandum to Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez.

Through the subpoena requested by the House prosecution panel, the court has issued Lopez to appear before the impeachment court on July 13 and 14 to testify during the examination on Duterte’s alleged assassination plot against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Rep. Martin Romualdez.

“You are hereby commanded to appear on July 13 and 14, 2026 at 2 p.m., before the Senate Impeachment Court… to testify your knowledge in the case which is before the Court in which the House of Representatives has impeached Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte. Fail not,” the subpoena to Lopez read.

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READ: Zuleika Lopez among prosecution’s next witnesses in impeachment trial

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According to Senate impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol, the subpoena was “officially served and successfully received” by the Office of the Vice President at 1:10 p.m. on Thursday.

An impassioned Duterte declared the alleged assassination plot in the same online press briefing in November 2024 where Lopez claimed she had “threats to [her] life” during her detention at the House.

The House of Representatives committee on good government and public accountability cited Lopez in contempt for undue interference during the panel’s hearing on Duterte’s impeachment. /mr

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