Gadon says suspension against him could be politically motivated

For lawyer Larry Gadon, the preventive suspension against him was politically motivated.

In a statement sent to reporters on Tuesday night, Gadon claimed that the Supreme Court had imposed suspension on him "without due process."

"For an institution that prides itself for safeguarding due process of laws, I am confused that the Supreme Court immediately suspended me without due process and my suspension was announced in the media without furnishing me first with a copy of the complaint, if there is any," Gadon said.

"Since this appears unprecedented in history, I cannot help but feel that I am being singled out," he added. "Could this be politically motivated since I am running for senator?"

The SC directed the preventive suspension of Gadon over a viral video in which he hurled profanities against journalist Raissa Robles.

According to the SC Public Information Office, Gadon's preventive suspension is effective immediately and will last until lifted by the court. The High Tribunal told Gadon to show cause why he should not be disbarred in connection with the viral video.

Gadon also questioned if the decision of the SC was because of his recent statement calling for a refund of the protest fees paid by the camp of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., which Gadon said "remained unsolved."

Gadon, in a separate statement on Tuesday, said: "Some Supreme Court justices must be held accountable for the refund of the protest fees deposited by  Bongbong Marcos in connection with the 2016 VP electoral protest due to inordinate delays."

He mentioned that Associate Justices Benjamin Caguioa and Marvic Leonen should be personally liable for the refund "since the long delays can be attributed to the two of them."

"The snail paced proceedings during the time that AJ Caguioa was the ponente has dragged the protest for several years on a simple issue of whether the 25% shading should be considered as valid vote or not despite what Comelec has been telling the voting public to fully shade the vote," Gadon said.

"At the time that the protest was re-raffled to AJ Marvic Leonen, the issue was whether the SC can invalidate the votes from parts of Mindanao proven to be marred with fraud. Leonen refuses to rule on it allegedly due to the absence of rules covering the matter," he added.

In February 2021, the SC, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), dismissed for lack of merit the election protest filed by Marcos against Vice President Leni Robredo over the results of the 2016 vice presidential race. —KG, GMA News