Causing says disbarment prevents him from giving 100% support to Percy Lapid family

Berteni “Toto” Causing said Friday his disbarment prevented him from supporting the family of slain broadcaster Percy Lapid amid the ongoing investigation into the case.

“This also crippled Engineer Toto Causing from giving his 100% support for the quest for justice for the slain Percival Carag Mabasa, popularly known as Percy Lapid,” he said in a statement.

The Supreme Court has disbarred Causing, the spokesperson of the family of Lapid, for violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility and the Lawyer’s Oath for posting the draft of a plunder complaint on Facebook in 2019. The complaint was later filed with the Ombudsman.

Causing also said the government officials who were the subject of the plunder complaint have been “virtually acquitted” following his disbarment.

He said he filed the plunder complaint due to the alleged overpriced food given to Maranao evacuees amounting to P515 when the same food was sold to him for only P270.

“This decision of the Supreme Court… that sentenced Engineer Berteni Cataluña Causing to the supreme penalty of disbarment therefore virtually acquitted the officials charged by Engineer Toto Causing with plunder,” he said.

“It will be revolting to conscience then that the Ombudsman will dismiss the same plunder complaint because the Supreme Court disbarred Engineer Causing,” he added.

“Nakakalungkot na ang counter-case ng disbarment ng isa sa mga kinasuhan ni Engineer Toto ng plunder ay mas nauna pang nadesisyunan,” Causing said.

Meanwhile, Causing said he did not consider himself a repeat offender as he was only warned not to repeat posting on social media in March 2021, beyond the time when he posted the plunder complaint in January 2019.

He said he will file a motion for reconsideration to appeal the High Tribunal’s decision.—Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News