Disbarment won't affect De Lima role as senator: law dean

The admission of both Sen. Leila de Lima and her former driver and alleged bagman Ronnie Dayan of their relationship will serve as a “strong ground” for the disbarment case against the embattled senator, a law expert said on Monday.

Nenita Tuazon, dean of the Bulacan State University College of Law, said De Lima’s admission of her relationship with Dayan will serve as proof of the case.

"In my personal opinion, that (relationship) would be strong grounds for the [Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption] in their disbarment case because that's in violation of our canon or the Code of Professional Responsibility, which prescribes the lawyer from engaging in immoral or deceitful conduct. So I think with her admission that will serve as proof,” she said on ‘Mornings @ ANC.”

She added that there is no need to provide sufficient evidence anymore since De Lima already admitted the affair.

"I think that will be enough because there were already decided cases by the Supreme Court wherein the Supreme Court granted the disbarment filed against lawyers who were engaged in immoral or deceitful conduct as a violation of our Code of Professional Responsibility especially when there's a deliberate disregard of the sanctity of marriage and marital vows because we are vowed to affirm and protect the Constitution and the laws which we took our oath even before admission to practice law.”

Tuazon however clarified that the disbarment proceeding would only affect De Lima’s profession as a lawyer but not as a senator since she was elected in the latter.

The VACC is seeking the disbarment of De Lima for gross immorality and violation of the Lawyers’ Oath and the Code of Professional Responsibility because of her relationship with Dayan and alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.

De Lima admitted her relationship with Dayan, saying it lasted for “a few years” and was because of her “frailties as a woman.”

Dayan, who also admitted the affair, said De Lima knew he was married and that their relationship lasted for seven years until it ended in 2014 because of an alleged third party.

• READ: READ:Ronnie Dayan: I had 7-year relationship with De Lima