Gadon files disbarment case vs Sara Duterte

Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon on Wednesday filed a complaint before the Supreme Court (SC) for the disbarment of Vice President Sara Duterte from the legal profession.

Gadon, who is also disbarred lawyer himself, urged the High Court to initiate a motu proprio proceeding of disbarment against Duterte following her latest tirades against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“Such statements coming from the second highest official of the land, seen and heard by millions of Filipinos are undoubtedly illegal, immoral, and condemnable," Gadon said in a letter written to the SC.

“As a lawyer herself, she should be disbarred,” he added.

Duterte on early Saturday morning said she had contracted someone to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez, if an alleged plot against her succeeds.

She later on clarified that her statement was not a threat, saying she only highlighted the alleged threat to her security. She also said that her remark was "taken out of logical context."

Authorities, however, have considered Duterte’s remarks as a threat to the President and a matter of national security.

Marcos has also vowed to block "criminal attempts" against him.

Furthermore, Gadon also asked Duterte to resign as Vice President. 

“Mag-resign siya. Dahil sinisiguro ko, siguradong-sigurado ako, na sa next Congress siya ay i-impeach,” Gadon said.

(She should resign. Because I assure, I am absolutely sure, that in the next Congress she will get impeached.) 

GMA News Online has sought comment from the Office of the Vice President (OVP), and will update this story once it responds. Duterte is expected to hold a press conference in the afternoon to answer questions from the media. 

Gadon, meanwhile, said he will file impeachment cases against all the Supreme Court justices if they will not take action on his complaint.

“If the Supreme Court has applied it wrongfully in the circumstance of Atty. Larry Gadon, there is no reason that the Supreme Court can not apply it rightfully to Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio,” his letter read, indicating that he himself suffered “injustice, unfairness, and extreme discrimination” from the SC. 

'Uniteam'

Gadon ran as senator under the Marcos-Duterte UNITEAM in the 2022 Elections. He said he now regrets backing Duterte.

“Yes, I really regret… Eh hindi ko naman akalain na ganyan pala sila eh… ‘Yung statements ni Vice President Sara, napaka-immature. Kulang na kulang sa statesmanship. At saka hindi siya nag-aaral, basta nalang siya nagsasalita ng ano,” he said.

(Yes, I really regret supporting the Dutertes. I didn't think they were like that. Vice President Sara's statements are very immature. It’s lacking statesmanship. She also doesn’t think about her statements before saying them.) 

Earlier, Supreme Court Spokesperson Atty. Camille Sue Ting revealed that the High Court also received an anonymous complaint asking for the disbarment of Duterte for her remarks to exhume former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr’s corpse and dispose of the remains in the West Philippine Sea.

Two earlier filed disbarment cases vs VP Duterte were consolidated and is still pending before the Supreme Court.

The complaints orginated from when VP Duterte was still Mayor of Davao in 2011 and she threw punches against a court sheriff serving a demolition order in the city.

To recall, the Vice President had said she threatened Senator Imee Marcos that she would dig up the body of her father and throw it into the West Philippine Sea if attacks against her do not stop.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla then said that the Department of Justice is looking into the possible legal consequences of Duterte’s remarks which breached some “moral principles.”

Two earlier filed disbarment cases against Duterte were also consolidated and are still pending before the Supreme Court.

The complaints originated from when she was still Mayor of Davao in 2011 and she threw punches against a court sheriff serving a demolition order in the city.

--with reports from Saleema Refran/ VAL, GMA Integrated News