Families of EJK victims seek Rodrigo Duterte’s disbarment

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The complainants also cite the timeliness of their move, as the former president has 'presented himself as one of the legal counsels' of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, in her impeachment complaints

MANILA, Philippines – Human rights organizations and families of extrajudicial killings victims trooped to the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday, January 17, to seek the disbarment of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

In their complaint, the families and groups said Duterte should be disbarred by alleged violations of the Code of Professional Responsibility, the lawyers’ code of conduct, and for conduct unbecoming a lawyer.

Among the named complainants are Liezel Asuncion, wife of labor leader Manny Asuncion who was killed during the Bloody Sunday operation in March 2021; and Rosenda Lemita, mother of Ana Mariz Evangelista who was also killed in the same simultaneous operations, along with her husband.

Lawyer Vicente Jaime Topacio, son of slain National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultants Agaton Topacio and Eugenia Magpantay; and Lean Porquia, son of slain Bayan Muna Panay coordinator Jory Porquia, are also complainants in the disbarment suit against Duterte.

“With Duterte’s invocation of his role as lawyer and prosecutor as some kind of authority in his recent testimony at the hearings at the House of Representatives and the Senate, we believe it is time for victims of human rights violations to speak up. It is time for us to appeal to the Supreme Court to reinforce how the law should work in the Philippines, how the law should shield victims of human rights violations as they seek justice and should ensure dignified and proper conduct in the practice of law,” Topacio said in a statement.

“This petition for disbarment is especially relevant, since Rodrigo Duterte has presented himself as one of the legal counsels of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, who is currently facing at least three impeachment complaints,” Karapatan secretary general Tinay Palabay, who is among the complainants, said.

Lawyer who commit certain acts that can gravely affect the legal profession can be disbarred — an extreme measure that takes away their mandate to practice law. The grounds for disbarment include deceit, malpractice, and violation of the lawyers’ oath, among others.

To disbar a lawyer, individuals may file a disbarment complaint with the SC or the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. The SC can also act on a lawyer’s disbarment motu proprio or on its own initiative, like when it disbarred presidential adviser Larry Gadon in 2023 over sexist and misogynistic remarks.

Duterte, who is seeking a comeback as Davao City mayor in this year’s elections, was accepted to the Bar in 1973. He had served as a prosecutor in Davao City before entering politics. Vice President Sara Duterte, who faces impeachment and disbarment complaints herself, announced in December that the older Duterte will be her “collaborating counsel” in the impeachment complaints.

Aside from the disbarment, Duterte also faces a pile of legal battles, including the International Criminal Court’s probe into his drug war that killed nearly 30,000, according to human rights groups. His adversary, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, also filed plunder and graft complaints against Duterte over some alleged anomalous government deals during his presidency. – Rappler.com