The Supreme Court (SC) issued a show cause order against former anti-communist body spokesperson Lorraine Badoy.
In a press briefer released on Tuesday, Oct. 5, the Court En Banc gave Badoy 30 days to explain why she should not be cited with indirect contempt over her social media post that allegedly threatened Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar.
The SC directed Badoy to respond to the following issues:
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Whether or not she posted or caused the posting of the statements attacking the September 21, 2022 Resolutions rendered by the Regional Trial Court in Civil Case No. R. MNL-18-00925-CV in any or all of her social media accounts;
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Whether or not her social media has encouraged more violent language against the judge concerned in any or all of her social media platforms;
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Whether or not her social media post, in the context of social media and in the experience of similar incendiary comments here or abroad, was clear incitement to produce violent actions against a judge and is likely to produce such act;
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Whether or not her statements on her social media accounts, implying violence on a judge, is part of her constitutional speech.
The SC said it noted the statements made by HUKOM Inc., the Philippine Judges Association, and the University of the Philippines College of Law faculty — all condemned Badoy's actions.
Likewise, it noted the court administrator's office's report on the steps taken to ensure the safety and security of Magdoza-Malagar.
In Badoy's earlier Facebook post which she later denied, she threatened to harm Magdoza-Malagar for junking the government’s case to declare the CPP and NPA as terrorist organizations.
“So if I kill this judge and I do so out of my political belief that all allies of the CPP NPA NDF must be killed because there is no difference in my mind between a member of the CPP-NPA-NDF and their friends, then please be lenient with me,” Badoy wrote.
A group of lawyers on Tuesday filed a petition seeking to cite Badoy for indirect contempt.
The petitioners asked the SC to punish Badoy with 6 months of imprisonment and Php 30,000 fine.
