Atty. Melvin Matibag filed a disbarment complaint before the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, September 24 against former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
PDP Laban Secretary General Matibag said that Roque violated the Lawyer’s Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability. Matibag’s petition aims to revoke Roque’s lawyer license.
This is related to the latter’s social media posts on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s use of a white substance or polvoron. Matibag claims that the former spokesperson had no valid basis for the incident. According to him, lawyers must first verify the information presented, before making any conclusions.
A copy of the petition cannot be distributed to the public, as they are following the rules of the SC. However, the attorney sees the filing as an opportunity for the high court to set definite rules on the proper usage of social media platforms, especially with lawyers.
Atty. Roque’s Response
In a Facebook post, Roque called the petition as a ‘desperate act of attention’, citing that complaints of disbarment should not be made public.
“We have to understand that the posting of the video in social media is protected by free speech under the privileged doctrine. It involves a serious disease of a President that deserves an admission or denial. PBBM has not done either,” he said.
He also claimed that this is all the doing of the Quad Committee, per his former colleague in Congress.
