Quezon City prosecutors dismissed a complaint of direct assault, disobedience to authority, and grave coercion filed against Vice President Sara Duterte and her chief security officer, Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica. The complaint stemmed from an incident at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) on November 23, 2024, involving the attempted transfer of Duterte's chief of staff, lawyer Zuleika Tanglao.
The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the direct assault, disobedience to authority and grave coercion complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte and her chief security officer in connection with the incident that transpired on November 23, 2024 at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).
In a 13-page resolution issued by Assistant City Prosecutor Criscelyn Carayugan-Lugo and approved by City Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano, the prosecutors ruled that the complainant failed to present sufficient evidence “to sustain a finding of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction.” “The alleged commission of direct assault, disobedience to authority and grave coercion is not supported by evidence,” the resolution read. Also exonerated was Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) head Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica. The complaint was filed by Quezon City Police District – District Medical and Dental Unit (DMDU) chief Police Lieutenant Colonel (PLTCOL) Van Jason Conag Villamor . Villamor claimed that Duterte and Lachica attacked, employed force, and made serious intimidation or serious resistance against him while he was trying to fulfill his task to bring Duterte’s chief of staff, lawyer Zuleika Tanglao to the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) from the VMMC where the latter was rushed due to chronic back pains and panic attacks while being detained at the House of Representative detention facility after being cited in contempt by lawmakers. Duterte recounted that Lopez was supposed to be transferred from the House detention facility to St. Luke’s upon the instruction of the latter’s doctor who attended to her. However, the Vice President said she was surprised when Villamor along with other police officers brought Lopez to the VMCC. She also denied Villamor’s claim that he informed her of the purpose of their presence or the order they were tasked to enforce. Duterte presented video footage showing Villamor deliberately attempted to slam the ambulance door on her, which could have caused her serious physical harm were it not for the people who timely intervened. She described Villamor as “hostile and irreverent towards her,” and “completely remorseless and defiant as the policeman did not even bother to apologize.” Duterte also invoked immunity from suit and criminal prosecution, being a president in reserve, as additional defense.In ruling in favor of the respondents, the QC prosecutors held that acts of placing a hand over the chest, pushing, and shoving do not constitute attack of physical force, as claimed by Villamor. Furthermore, the prosecutors pointed out that not one of the witnesses presented by Villamor corroborated his claims. “The video footage submitted by him also negates his own asseverations. Being so, we are constrained to dismiss the complaint for insufficiency of evidence,” the resolution stated. Likewise, the prosecutors held that Villamor cannot be considered a person in authority because of his failure to establish that he was engaged in the actual performance of official duties at the time of the incident. “Bringing a detainee from the HOR to a hospital is certainly beyond the official functions of PLtCol Villamor as a police officer,” the prosecutors said. “As correctly pointed out by VP Duterte-Carpio and Col. Lachica, there is no scintilla of proof of his authority to implement any order from the HOR,” they added. Aside from this, the OCP said Duterte and Lachica telling the police to back off does not amount to serious intimidation or serious resistance. Likewise, the prosecutors ruled that Duterte’s acts against Villamor were justified because of the latter’s display of aggression by attempting to slam the ambulance door on her. “Her reaction was spontaneous and legitimate outburst triggered by his provocation. Besides, she did not employ unnecessary force against him but only reasonable force to deter him from harming her,” the resolution said
Law VICE PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE JUSTICE SYSTEM LAW ENFORCEMENT PROSECUTION QUEZON CITY
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