The Supreme Court (SC) has preventively suspended Larry Gadon over his expletive-filled rant against journalist Raissa Robles. The suspension will remain effective until it is lifted by the SC.
The rant was caught in real-time through a video that Gadon posted on social media on December 15, 2021. In the video, he could be heard cursing at Robles over her comments regarding presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as a tax evader.
Since then, netizens have once again called for Gadon’s disbarment and requested the SC to implement disciplinary measures against him.
“The call of the public did not fall on deaf ears, and the Court immediately took action,” the high court said in a statement released by the Public Information Office.
In documents released on January 4, the court also ordered Gadon to show cause as to why he should not be disbarred, given that similar “unbecoming” behavior and conduct had been observed before.
“The Court already reminded the former to be more wary of his actions and to restrain himself in displaying ill temper and to refrain from using abusive and distasteful language,” the statement read. “Gadon was already warned that a repetition of the same or similar act shall be dealt with more severely. But despite such warning, Gadon has continued to display similarly abhorrent behavior, with the viral video against Robles.”
Gadon has since said that he remains “confused” over the decision, stating that there was a lack of “due process” and a failure to provide him a copy of the complaint.
On the other hand, Robles has thanked the Supreme Court for acting on its own and shared that she and her lawyer will continue with filing a disbarment case against Gadon.
“Hearing today’s good news, we both decided — that we will proceed with suing this detestable and loathsome poor excuse of a lawyer who is a disgrace to the legal profession,” the journalist wrote on a blog post on Tuesday. “He deserves no respect from me. His own mother would be ashamed of him.”
Art Daniella Sison
