OVP official confirms urging former education undersecretary to resign over lost trust

Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez of the Office of the Vice President confirmed she told former Education Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil Mercado to resign due to a loss of trust from Vice President Sara Duterte. This admission came during a House committee hearing. Lopez stated that Mercado's concerns about procurement issues led to her dismissal. However, Rep. Gerville Luistro questioned whether due process was followed, noting that Lopez did not provide Mercado with a formal complaint or a hearing. Lopez also revealed that she had advised five other Department of Education officials to resign, contradicting her claim that Mercado's case was isolated. Mercado has denied allegations of misconduct, asserting her actions were in line with government protocols.