MANILA — Another disbarment complaint has been filed before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) against lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon, the complainant in the impeachment case against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno.
The fourth disbarment case against Gadon was filed by blogger Jover Laurio of Pinoy Ako Blog.
In her complaint, Laurio accused Gadon of violating his oath as a lawyer and the Code of Professional Responsibility when he filed “a baseless and unactionable criminal complaint” against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno last January at the Department of Justice (DOJ) for non-submission of her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
“When Gadon filed a criminal complaint against Chief Justice Sereno in the DOJ with a prayer or relief for her removal…He showed disrespect for the Constitution and displayed gross ignorance of basic law,” the complaint stated.
Complainants Laurio as well as a certain Aunell Ross Angcos also accused Gadon of grossly immoral conduct when he hurl invectives and raised his middle finger at Sereno supporters last April 10 in front of the Supreme Court compound in Baguio City.
“Gadon’s acts…and raising the dirty finger without provocation against peaceful protesters are conduct unbecoming of a lawyer and grossly immoral conduct,” the complaint stated.
When sought for comment, Gadon said no one gets disbarred from hurling invectives at them, at the same time flashing a “dirty finger”.
“He is crazy. Nobody gets disbarred for mura (saying foul language) and finger sign. Gusto lang sumikat niyan (he wants to get media mileage),” Gadon said.
In a 19-page complaint, concerned citizens, activists, and community workers sought the immediate disbarment of Gadon and the removal of his name from the Roll of Attorneys for violating the Lawyer’s Oath, and for violation of the Rules of Court which states that an attorney should “abstain from all offensive personality”.
The complainants also cited several provisions of the Code of Professional Responsibility allegedly violated by Gadon, which includes Rule 7.03 stating that “a lawyer shall not engage in conduct that adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law, nor shall he whether in public or private life, behave in a scandalous manner to the discredit of the legal profession”.
The complainants also cited Rule 8.01 which states that a “lawyer shall not, in his professional dealings, use language which is abusive, offensive or otherwise improper”.
The complainants were in Baguio last April 10 during the oral argument on the quo warranto petition against Sereno where Gadon also attended the oral argument to submit his opinion.
Last month, lawyer Wilfredo Garrido Jr., sought the immediate disbarment of Gadon and the removal of his name from the Roll of Attorneys for alleged dishonesty, arrogance and rudeness in the course of the impeachment proceedings at the House justice committee.
Gadon is accused of violating the lawyers’ Code of Professional Responsibility, particularly Canons 7, 8, 19 and Rules 7.03, 8.1 and 19.01 (A).
Garrido said that on Feb. 22, Gadon publicly tried to force Sereno to resign by dangling threats of supposed criminal cases to be filed against Supreme Court officials.
Gadon made this promise true when he filed graft charges against them before the Department of Justice last March 12 after Sereno rejected his resignation call.
Last August, two lawyers asked the Supreme Court (SC) to act on the disbarment case filed against Gadon.
In a five-page letter addressed to Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, chair of Second division where the disbarment case was assigned, Algamar Latiph and Musa Malayang said their complaint seeking to drop Gadon from the country’s roll of attorneys has been unresolved since April 2016.
The two lawyers had sought Gadon’s disbarment for threatening to kill all residents of Mindanao, including women and children.
He issued the controversial remarks in two separate television interviews during the election campaign period last year.
The case stemmed from Gadon’s supposed hateful remarks against the Muslims when he was interviewed by television networks in his capacity as candidate for the 2016 senatorial elections.
In the said interviews, Gadon vowed to pulverize Muslim communities if they will not cooperate in the government’s bid to address the insurgency and rebellion problem in the region.
“Based on the news accounts, there were other two cases filed against the respondent for the same above facts.
“We respectfully pray for the Honorable Court to favorably act on the complaint,” the letter read.
Gadon ran and lost in the senatorial race in the May 2016 polls under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, the political party founded by the late former President Ferdinand Marcos. (PNA)
