Nelson Morales

Gadon accuses SC of bias for failure to act on disbarment cases vs Sara Duterte

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Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Anti-poverty czar Larry Gadon on Tuesday accused the Supreme Court of political bias, noting that the high court has not acted on disbarment cases against Vice President Sara Duterte, including a petition that dates back to over a decade.Gadon was among those who filed a disbarment case against Duterte in 2024 after the vice president repeatedly cursed at and threatened to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and some of his family members should an alleged kill plot against her succeed.&quot;Walang notice o walang action ang Supreme Court doon sa disbarment complaint I filed against VP Sara,&quot; Duterte told ABS-CBN News.&quot;Hindi kikilos yang Supreme Court kasi most of them are appointees of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte kaya ganiyan,&quot; he said, when asked about the status of the complaint he filed last November.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/27/gadon-asks-supreme-court-disbar-vp-sara-duterte-0955">READ: Gadon asks Supreme Court to disbar VP Sara Duterte</a></div>Gadon earlier urged the Supreme Court to &quot;initiate a motu propio proceeding of disbarment&quot; against Duterte for issuing statements that were &quot;undoubtedly illegal, immoral and condemnable,&quot; noting that his license to practice as a lawyer was revoked &quot;even for a much lesser offense.&quot;&quot;The Supreme Court is anti-Marcos and walang aksyon silang gagawin diyan pero sa akin, dahil Marcos loyalist ako, ang bilis-bilis nilang magdecide and even for a much lesser offense ay dinisbar nila ako ng mabilis,&quot; he said.Only 2 of the current 14 Supreme Court magistrates were not appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte, the incumbent vice president&#x27;s father, Gadon said.These are Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa and Marvic Leonen.&quot;Ang Supreme Court kasi political din,&quot; he said.Under the law, &quot;proceedings for the disbarment, suspension or discipline of attorneys may be taken by the Supreme Court motu propio, or upon the filing of a verified complaint of any person before the Supreme Court or the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).&quot;Gadon&#x27;s disbarment case against Duterte — filed 2 months ago before the Supreme Court — has yet to be transmitted to the IBP.The high court earlier said it also received an anonymous letter seeking Duterte&#x27;s disbarment over her threat to exhume former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. from the Libingan ng mga Bayani and throw his remains in the West Philippine Sea.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/26/anonymous-person-seeks-sara-dutertes-disbarment-over-marcos-sr-exhumation-jab-1611">READ: Anonymous person seeks Sara Duterte&#x27;s disbarment over exhumation jab vs Marcos Sr. -- SC</a></div>Meanwhile, the IBP has long submitted its recommendations on Duterte&#x27;s disbarment case in 2011, when she &quot;punched and inflicted injury to a sheriff who was just enforcing an Order of the Court.&quot;Last week, human rights advocates and the families of victims of extrajudicial killings filed a disbarment complaint against the former President before the Supreme Court.ABS-CBN News has been trying to get a comment from the Supreme Court on the disbarment cases against the Dutertes.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/17/ejk-victims-kin-seek-rodrigo-duterte-disbarment-1055">READ: Ex-President Duterte faces disbarment complaint from rights advocates, EJK victims&#x27; kin</a></div>

Anti-poverty czar Larry Gadon on Tuesday accused the Supreme Court of political bias, noting that the high court has not acted on disbarment cases against Vice President Sara Duterte, including a petition that dates back to over a decade.

Anti-poverty czar Larry Gadon on Tuesday accused the Supreme Court of political bias, noting that the high court has not acted on disbarment cases against Vice President Sara Duterte, including a petition that dates back to over a decade.