Harry Roque disbarment case filed by Ex-Duterte Cabinet official
Atty. Melvin Matibag, a former acting Cabinet secretary under the Duterte administration, has filed a disbarment case against ex-presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
Matibag submitted a complaint before the Supreme Court on Sept. 24, noting that this case was over Roque's social media posts, including posting about the deepfake "polvoron" video of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
"We filed this disbarment case as an officer of the court. Alam ninyo, kaming mga lawyers, we are given the privilege to practice the law pero there are corresponding responsibilities, which is enshrined sa code of professional responsibility and accountability," he said, as per Super Radyo DZBB.
"[I'm] doing this to help judiciary to increase the jurisprudence, para kaming mga lawyer, just like Atty. Harry Roque, will be guided kung ano ba talaga yung ano sa rules, especially sa update ng CPRA 'yung rule 38 na yan. Itong finile natin na 'to for us to know, to be guided, kung ano behavior dapat [ng lawyers] when it comes to using social media as a platform."
Section 38 of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability states that a lawyer "shall not knowingly or maliciously post, share, or upload or otherwise disseminate false or unverified statements, claims, or commit any other act of disinformation."
Roque has issued a statement on Facebook on the disbarment, calling the complaint a "desperate act of attention.'
"We have to understand that the posting of the video in social media is protected by free speech under the privileged doctrine. It involves a serious disease of a President that deserves an admission or denial. PBBM has not done either," he said.
The ex-presidential spokesperson added that the "polvoronic video" is a "national security matter" and that its authenticity and content "deserve widespread discussion."
In July, a video showing Marcos allegedly doing drugs was spread on social media. The National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police have debunked that the man in the video was not the country's chief executive.
"Sa lahat ng ito, isa lang ang sigurado: Pinupulbos ako ng Quad Committee dahil sa polvoronic video. Ayon na rin ito mismo sa mga dating kasamahan ko sa Kamara," the former spox ended.
Roque was cited in contempt and ordered to be detained anew by the House of Representatives Quad Committee on Sept. 12 for refusing to submit documents proving he has no connection to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) hubs.
He is under investigation for his alleged link to POGOs after the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission found documents bearing his signature in their raid of the Pampanga hub.
The commission has since cleared his name, saying the documents found in the Lucky South 99 compound were "innocent" and "not of suspicious or criminal nature."
In late July, he also denied owning the raided Tuba, Benguet house where two foreign nationals with alleged ties to POGO were arrested.