Gadon faces disbarment for ‘disgraceful conduct’

MANILA, Philippines — Lawyer Lorenzo Gadon is facing a disbarment case over his alleged “disgraceful conduct” in the impeachment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

The complaint was filed by another lawyer, Wilfredo Garrido Jr., before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines last March 15.

In his 10-page complaint obtained by reporters yesterday, Garrido sought the immediate disbarment of Gadon and removal of his name from the Roll of Attorneys for alleged dishonesty, arrogance and rudeness in the course of the impeachment proceedings in the House justice committee.

The complainant accused Gadon of violating the lawyers’ Code of Professional Responsibility, particularly Canons 7, 8, 19 and Rules 7.03, 8.1 and 19.01 (A).

Garrido alleged that Gadon committed perjury several times during the impeachment hearings – as records of the House panel would verify – and also knowingly executed a false verification in his complaint stating he had personal knowledge of his allegations against Sereno.

“Apart from lying, Atty. Gadon is also skilled in harassing and haranguing his own colleagues in public,” the complainant stressed, citing the threats made by Gadon against Sereno and the harassment suits he filed against court personnel who testified in favor of the Chief Justice in the hearings.

Garrido recalled 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 (SC) officials. Gadon made true his promise when he filed graft charges against them before the Department of Justice last March 12 after Sereno rejected his resignation call.

The complainant lamented how Gadon’s bid to oust Sereno “left a trail of ruined reputations, derailed careers and shamed families.”

“(Gadon) has destroyed careers and reputations. He has demeaned his profession. He must be disbarred,” Garrido stressed.

 “What is even more striking is that he did not mind if he had personal knowledge of the facts alleged in his complaints or that he had adequate legal bases for the same,” he pointed out.

Garrido explained that Gadon’s impeachment bid has already become a “campaign of harassment against other civil servants.”

“Atty. Gadon’s conduct should be judged regardless of the outcome of the impeachment complaint against CJ Sereno or the cases he has filed or threatened to file against other court employees. By and of itself, his conduct is disgraceful and a blackeye on the profession,” the lawyer added.

When sought for comment, Gadon belittled the disbarment complaint that he said was filed by a “lawyer who only wants to be popular by riding on the impeachment issue.”

“(Garrido) just wants to be popular. I don’t care about that disbarment threat,” he stressed.

This is not the first disbarment case against Gadon. 

Earlier, lawyers Algamar Latiph and Musa Malayang filed a disbarment complaint before the SC against Gadon over his threats against Muslims in Mindanao during his failed senatorial bid in the 2016 elections.

The complaint was based on Gadon’s television interviews during the campaign where he made hateful remarks against the Muslims in Mindanao when asked how he plans to address rebellion by some groups there.

In the said interviews, he was quoted as saying he would pulverize Muslim communities if they will not cooperate in the government’s bid to address the insurgency and rebellion problem in the region.

He also said he would exterminate innocent children, women, men and old folks and burn houses if they would ignore his plea to work together with the government.