Disbarment rap filed at Supreme Court vs IBP officials for helping ‘Bikoy’
Credit to Author: JOMAR CANLAS, TMT| Date: Fri, 10 May 2019 07:18:10 +0000
DISBARMENT charges were filed on Friday before the Supreme Court against the leadership of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines after it allegedly allowed a man claiming to be the hooded figure behind a series of videos against family members and allies of President Rodrigo Duterte the use of IBP facilities in his “coming out.”
In a Complaint Affidavit lodged before the high court, the Kabalikat Partylist 149 sought to discipline and penalize IBP President Abdiel Dan Elijah S. Fajardo and incoming Domingo Egon Q. Cayosa for violation of Rule 1.02 of the Code of Professional Responsibility, which states that “a lawyer shall not counsel or abet activities at defiance of the law or at lessening confidence in the legal system.”
Kabalikat Partylist, represented by Tomas Jose Cabrido, slammed the IBP leadership for allowing the honorable name of the lawyer’s group to be besmirched by tolerating Peter Joemel “Bikoy” Advincula to use the office and resources of the IBP in his press conference to attack the Duterte administration and link the first family and his allies to illegal drugs.
“With due respect, Advincula’s press conference, is not in accordance with the mission of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. It does not elevate the standards of the legal profession. It does not improve the administration of justice, and it does not enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility more effectively,” Kabalikat 149 said in its complaint.
Kabalikat 149 said that “while Advincula was uttering seditious words or speech during his press conference, the logo of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines can be seen at the background, which creates the impression that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines is supporting Advincula’s press conference.”
The IBP is under the supervision and control of the Supreme Court and for 2019 alone it shall receive P100 million from Congress, through the high tribunal, for its operations, primarily for legal aid purposes.
“In sum, in allowing Advincula to use the premises and resources of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines free of charge, respondents appear to have counseled or abetted Advincula in the commission of slander and/or inciting to sedition,” the complainant said.
It cited that even the IBP-Davao Chapter criticized the IBP-National Office for going against the core purpose of the organization in letting itself become as “staging area of Bikoy’s show.” Solicitor General Jose Calida on Thursday even called for the resignation of the Fajardo for using his position to push his personal political agenda.
Bikoy appeared before the media on May 6 at the National Office of the IBP in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, and confessed that he was the “hooded man” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos who alleged that Duterte’s son Paolo Duterte ; daughter Veronica; and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, the President’s top aide-turned-senatorial candidate were involved in the illegal drug trade.
Duterte denied this.
The post Disbarment rap filed at Supreme Court vs IBP officials for helping ‘Bikoy’ appeared first on The Manila Times Online.