Kinumpirma ng chief of staff ng Office of the Vice President na si Zuleika Lopez na inutusan siya noong 2023 ni Vice President Sara Duterte na pagbitiwin sa puwesto si dating Department of Education undersecretary Gloria Mercado.
Ito ay kahit nauna niyang sinabi na hindi siya nakikialam sa mga nangyayari sa operasyon ng DepEd.
“It was an instruction given to me by my principal and at the same time my principal was also the secretary of [DepEd],” sabi ni Lopez.