- QC junks cop’s charges vs VP Sara, security head
THE QUEZON City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the case filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, Col. Raymund Dante Lachica, and others, citing insufficient evidence to move forward with the case related to the incident at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
Lachia is the current Vice Presidential Security Protection Group (VPSPG) commander.
In its recent decision, the Prosecutor’s Office determined that the case did not meet the necessary prima facie standard — the threshold of evidence required to establish a case and secure a conviction. As a result, the charges cannot proceed to court.
The charges had been filed by Police Lt. Col. Van Jason Villamot, accusing Duterte, Lachica, and others of direct assault (Article 148), disobedience to authority (Article 151), and grave coercion (Article 286).
The incident stemmed from a confrontation between the two parties during the transfer of OVP chief of staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez from VMMC to St. Luke’s Medical Center on Nov. 23, 2024.
“Such quantum of evidence was not reached because the evidence-at-hand, vis-à-vis the defenses raised, are insufficient to establish all the elements of the crimes charged, and to warrant a conviction beyond reasonable doubt,” the decision stated.
The decision, made on Jan. 17, 2024, was prepared by Assistant City Prosecutor Criscelyn B. Carayugan-Lugo and approved by City Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano.
