Lawyers have been disbarred over affairs, solon notes

Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. on Wednesday noted that lawyers have been disbarred in the past over questions of immorality, in light of Senator Leila De Lima's admission of her past affair with her former driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan.

Garbin said there could be an issue of immorality depending on whether Dayan was legally separated when he and De Lima had their relationship.

The party-list solon refused to say if De Lima could be disbarred for her admission, but said: "Of course, lawyers had been disbarred due to illicit relationships, in general, I can say that."

Garbin said there had been "many cases" of disbarment in the past, adding that even one of his professors in law school was one of them. He refused to further comment on the matter, because "kababayan ko siya," referring to De Lima, a native of Camarines Sur.

In an interview with Winnie Monsod on "Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie," De Lima admitted having had a relationship with Dayan. De Lima described her involvement with her driver as "frailties of a woman." When asked how long the relationship lasted, she answered: "A few years."

Last month, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and two of De Lima's former subordinates at the Department of Justice - National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala - filed before the Supreme Court a disbarment complaint against her following her alleged involvement in an extramarital affair.

The complainants accused De Lima of violating Rule 7.03, Canon 7 of the Code of Professional Responsibility.

The portion of the code reads: "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."

On Tuesday, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said De Lima's admission only solidified the disbarment case filed against her and could be used against her. 

In September 2007, the Supreme Court ruled with finality to disbar former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Jose Emmanuel "Noli" Eala.

Eala was disbarred for grossly immoral conduct after he was found guilty of carrying an illicit affair with a married woman. Shortly after the first ruling was handed down, Eala resigned from his post as PBA commissioner. —JST, GMA News