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Makabayan solons eye Teddy Casiño as complainant vs. Gadon


Progressive lawmakers on Thursday said they will be tapping their "colleagues" to file a complaint against lawyer Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon for cursing and raising his middle finger at supporters of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in Baguio City.

Anakpawis party-list Representative Ariel Casilao, a member of the House Makabayan bloc, said this after the Integrated Bar of the Philippines said Gadon may be investigated for his act if any offended person who witnessed it would file a complaint.

"We will urge our colleagues, for example, former congressman Teddy Casiño was there in Baguio, probably to file a case against Gadon," Casilao told reporters in a press conference.

Gadon, who filed the impeachment complaint against Sereno, was in Baguio City to attend the oral arguments on the quo warranto petition against her when he was booed by her supporters, prompting him to loudly call them "stupid."

"Itong mga nagra-rally na ito, mga bobo at mga tanga ang mga ito eh, kasi very clear na ang violations ni Sereno," Gadon told reporters when interviewed.

He later yelled at a protester who cut him off during the interview. "Ikaw bobo, p----- ina mo ka!" he said.

Casilao, in calling for a complaint against Gadon, cited Rule 7.03 of the Code of Professional Responsibility. Under this rule, "[A] lawyer shall not engage in conduct that adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law, nor shall he whether in public or private life, behave in a scandalous manner to the discredit of the legal profession."

"Malinaw 'yung pinakita niya, 'yung pagpasok niya ay parang inosente, nakayuko, pero nung nakalagpas na siya sa grupo at na-corner na ng mga kapulisan, doon umasta na rin siya na parang gago rin," Casilao said.

For his part, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate said Gadon may have resorted to name-calling because he could not give strong and concrete arguments.

"I can now understand why this person usually resorts to name-calling kasi wala siyang argumento talaga na naibigay nang maayos," he said.

"Kahit 'yung complaint niya, tinulungan pa siya rito sa kanyang fishing expedition para lang tumindig ang kanyang impeachment complaint," Zarate added.

Zarate also recalled that it is not the first time that Gadon resorted to name-calling and cursing, citing his earlier statement on the extermination of Muslims and "communists."

"I think it's high time that this person, kailangan din niya [malaman] na hindi sa mga ganung pamamaraan inaabante mo ang iyong posisyon," he said.

Gadon, however, said he is not aware of any law, legal opinion, or jurisprudence that prohibits raising a middle finger. He maintained he was provoked by the protesters, but he does not regret what he did. —KBK, GMA News

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