Roque faces disbarment case from fellow ex-Duterte Cabinet official

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Roque faces disbarment case from fellow ex-Duterte Cabinet official

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Sep 24, 2024 11:51 AM PHT

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Atty. Harry Roque, September 7, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File  Atty. Harry Roque, September 7, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File  


MANILA – Former Palace spokesperson Harry Roque is facing a disbarment case filed before the Supreme Court by former Cabinet secretary Atty. Melvin Matibag on Tuesday morning. 


Matibag refused to divulge details of the case, but he noted the issues raised against Roque included his social media postings, including the “polvoron” video involving President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. 

“First of all kasi yung proceedings ng disbarment this is confidential in nature so I cannot discuss in detail pero just to cite one instance, yung tungkol sa pulboron issue, deep fake iyon so yun yung isa sa mga reason,” Matibag said. 

“But the more important thing is yung responsibility natin as an officer of the court as a lawyer, so dapat mataas ang standard namin so when we use social media dapat yung responsibility natin nandodoon,” he added. 

Expert warns of escalation in use of deepfakes after release of fake video of Marcos Jr.

Last July, officials said a viral video purportedly showing Marcos Jr. doing drugs was “deepfake” or digitally created. They said it was part of an attempt to destabilize the government. 


Matibag denied that the disbarment case is part of the supposed harassment efforts against Roque, who has been criticizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and is facing contempt charges from the House of Representatives. 

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Matibag said the Supreme Court could finally come out with a jurisprudence on how lawyers should behave especially on social media. 


“It is my obligation, as an abogado, may obligasyon to protect the judiciary, to protect our ranks from anything na makakasira dahil mataas ang standards as a lawyer, it is a privilege to practice law,” he said.

Matibag noted that he and Roque were former Cabinet officials during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration and once belonged to the same party. But Matibag said his personal and political affiliations had nothing to do with the disbarment case he filed against Roque. 

“Actually he is my friend, we belong to the same party before, we belonged to the same administration, he was the spokesperson during the time I was the cabinet secretary so wala po 'tong personal and I think Atty. Harry Roque will be professional enough to answer,” Matibag said.

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Roque said the disbarment case against him “is a desperate act of attention.” 

He noted that complaints of disbarment should not be made in public.  

The lawyer added that posting videos in social media “is protected by free speech under the privileged doctrine.” 

“Sa lahat ng ito, isa lang ang sigurado: Pinupulbos ako ng Quad Committee dahil sa polvoronic video.  Ayon na rin ito mismo sa mga dating kasamahan ko sa Kamara,” he said.  



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