THE Supreme Court en hanc has found presidential anti-poverty adviser and disbarred lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon guilty of gross misconduct in connection with the impeachment case he filed against former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
The High Court ordered Gadon to pay a P150,000 fine as penalty for committing perjury and making accusations against Sereno based on hearsay.
It said that since Gadon has been disbarred, “the penalty of disbarment will no longer be imposed but nevertheless recorded in his personal file.”
The magistrates also said Gadon is “ineligible for judicial clemency,” an act of mercy removing any disqualification from the erring judge or lawyer. This is granted only if there is a showing that it is merited, and thus, requires proof of reformation and a showing of potential and promise.
Gadon, in a statement, said he has yet to receive a copy of the SC decision and would like to review it first to determine if he could file impeachment charges against those who signed the ruling.
“I am waiting for the official copy of the decision of the SC, so I can study if I might file an impeachment case against those (who) signed the Order,” he said.
The High Court, he also said, “clearly committed an extremely grave abuse of discretion” as it based its decision on cases that it had no jurisdiction over.
He said the impeachment case against Sereno was filed before the House while the complaint he filed against some SC employees was before the Office of the Ombudsman.
“The SC has no jurisdiction on the impeachment case, it was filed at the House of Reps, so the SC has no power to declare any allegations therein as true or false. It is only the HoR who can issue such pronouncements. The SC therefore has clearly committed an extremely grave abuse of discretion,” Gadon said.
He also said: “The SC also has no jurisdiction to pronounce findings on the case I filed against some employees of the SC as this case is still pending before the office of the Ombudsman.”
In an earlier statement, Gadon said he has been a retired lawyer for the past 10 years and has no plans to return to his law practice.
“Since 2014, I have stopped and retired from appearing in courts. Even before I was more of a corporate executive than a practicing lawyer so this disbarment did not affect me whatsoever, more so financially as I earn more as a corporate executive,” he said.
He also said that “the penalty of 150,000 pesos is exorbitant and has no basis in jurisprudence.”
PERJURY
The petition to disbar Gadon was filed before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for supposed falsehoods in the impeachment complaint he filed against Sereno before the House of Representatives.
Gadon was also accused of filing baseless criminal cases against several SC officials.
The IBP — Committee on Bar Discipline recommended that Gadon be suspended for two years after it found that he lied under oath when he claimed that Sereno falsified an SC restraining order.
The IBP, however, dismissed for lack of evidence the allegation of baseless cases against SC officials.
The IBP — Board of Governors (IBP-BOG) modified the penalty of suspension to three years.
The magistrates adopted the IBP findings, but but modified the penalty since he was already disbarred.
“The Court found that Gadon committed perjury for making allegations in his impeachment complaint not based on his personal knowledge or on any authentic records, contrary to his sworn guarantee in the verification attached to his complaint,” a statement issued by the SC Public Information Office said.
“Gadon knew that he never had any personal knowledge nor any authentic document to support the accusation that Sereno falsified a TRO of the Court. Yet, he still included this in his verified impeachment complaint, attempting to lend a semblance of credibility to his unfounded accusation,” it added.
The SC said this not only deceived the lawmakers, but also revealed Gadon’s intent to inflict unnecessary harm to the reputation of a lawyer and former member of the Court.
“All these confirm that Gadon was motivated by a malicious intent to malign and defame Sereno,” the SC said.
The SC made it clear that even if Sereno’s appointment as Chief Justice was nullified and the preliminary findings of the Committee on Justice of the Lower House do not absolve Gadon.
“His disregard for the verification requirement in impeachment complaints shows disrespect for the impeachment process, using it to advance his personal agenda rather than air genuine and legitimate grievances,” the SC said, adding Gadon violated Canon II, Section 11 of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability.
The said Code prohibits lawyers from making false statements and makes him or her liable for gross misconduct, a serious offense in the legal profession.
Gadon was disbarred by the SC last year for his misogynistic and sexist remarks against journalist, Raissa Robles.
Gadon ran twice for the Senate, in the 2016 and 2022 elections, first under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, the political party founded by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos; and the second under the Team Unity of Marcos’ son and namesake, Ferdinand Jr. and Sara Duterte. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
