November 27, 2024 | 7:15pm
MANILA, Philippines — Disbarred lawyer Larry Gadon filed a disbarment case against Vice President Sara Duterte over her alleged “assassination” threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Gadon, who is also known for his controversial remarks, urged the Supreme Court to disbar the vice president due to her use of expletives and alleged threats against the First Family and Romualdez.
The disbarred lawyer, now the government’s poverty alleviation czar, sent a letter to the Supreme Court urging a motu proprio disbarment proceeding against Duterte.
“She categorically and unequivocally stated that she has talked to someone whom he directed to kill the three of them if she herself is killed. While it may be alleged that the intent has not been consummated, nevertheless the statement revealed a fully constituted plan for murdering three above named individuals as she further affirmed that the assassination plot is “not a joke,” Gadon said in his letter to the Supreme Court asking for Duterte’s disbarment.
“Such statements coming from the second highest official of the land, seen and heard by millions of Filipinos are undoubtedly illegal, immoral and condemnable,” he added.
It should be noted that Gadon was disbarred in 2023 due to his misogynistic and abusive remarks against journalist Raissa Robles.
A year later, the Supreme Court also found him guilty of gross misconduct for committing perjury and making accusations based on hearsay in the impeachment case of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
This will be the fourth disbarment case filed against Duterte.
On Tuesday, November 26, Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting said that an anonymous disbarment complaint had been filed against Duterte due to statements against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. last October 18.
RELATED: DOJ chief: Sara Duterte’s remark to throw Marcos Sr.’s body in sea violates Revised Penal Code
Ting also said there were two other disbarment cases filed against the vice president when she was still the mayor of Davao City, which the court consolidated.
Gadon’s disbarment case against Duterte stemmed from the virtual press conference on November 23 where the vice president threatened to assassinate the Marcoses and Romualdez if she was killed.
In the days following the presser, she repeatedly insisted that her remarks were taken out of context.
In response to her pronouncements, the National Bureau of Investigation issued a subpoena against Durterte for her to explain the incident.
The vice president’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is also under investigation due to his pronouncements concerning military intervention in the president’s governance.
No blessing from the president
In a separate statement to reporters, the disbarred lawyer said that President Marcos did not support the filing of the disbarment case against Vice President Duterte.
“Viber message lang na sinabi kong magfafile ako and then he respects my personal decisions pero sabi niya ‘hindi na kailangan, ‘wag na,'” Gadon said in a voice call to reporters.
(I just sent a Viber message saying that I would file, and then he said he respects my personal decisions, but he also said, “It’s not necessary, don’t do it anymore.)
In response to Sara Duterte’s threats, Marcos previously said that he would “fight back.”
“Kung ganun na lang kadali ang pagplano sa pagpatay ng isang presidente, papaano pa kaya ang mga pangkaraniwan na mamamayan? ‘Yang ganyang kriminal na pagtatangka ay hindi dapat pinapalampas. ‘Yan ay aking papalagan,” Marcos said.
(If you can plan to kill the president so easily, how much more for a regular citizen? These criminal threats cannot be allowed to pass. I will fight back.)
‘I have not read’
In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Duterte acknowledged Gadon’s impeachment complaint.
However, she said that she has yet to read the complaint.
“Let me clarify ha, ‘yung dalawa I have not read and received the complaint, so hindi ko masabi kung ano talaga nakalagay doon. Binabasi ko lang siya sa news reports na lumalabas. ‘Yung isa binasi ko sa announcement ng SC, ‘yung isa sa announcement ni Larry Gadon,” she said.
(Let me clarify, I have not read or received the complaints for the two cases, so I cannot say exactly what is stated in them. I am only basing my information on the news reports circulating. One is based on the announcement from the Supreme Court and the other on Larry Gadon’s announcement.)
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