SC Suspends Gadon and Orders Him to Show Cause Why He Should Not Be Disbarred over Viral Video Against

Journalist
In an 11-page complaint affidavit filed before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s
Office on February 4, Robles accused Gadon of violating the Safe Spaces Act
January 4, 2022
(Republic Act 11313) and of committing libel and cyber libel.
The Supreme Court today ordered the preventive suspension of Atty. Lorenzo G. Gadon and for him to
show cause why he should not be meted with the ultimate penalty of disbarment in connection with
his viral video uttering profanities against journalist Raissa Robles. Atty. Gadon’s preventive
suspension from the practice of law is effective immediately and to last until lifted by the Court.

On December 15, 2021, a video of Gadon uttering profanities against Robles went viral in social
media, where the former appeared exasperated by the fact that Robles called Ferdinand “Bong-Bong”
R. Marcos a tax evader.

The public has urged the Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to discipline Gadon over
his latest vulgar rant, saying that Atty. Gadon’s actions are not only an insult to Robles, but to the
entire legal profession as well. The call of the public did not fall on deaf ears, and the Court
immediately took action.

Gadon had, on previous instances, publicly displayed the same kind of behavior, for which he is
currently facing disbarment complaints before the Court and the IBP.

In a Resolution issued today, January 4, 2022, the Court En Banc motu proprio treated the matter as
a formal administrative complaint for disbarment against Gadon, who was given a non- extendible
period of 10 days to file his comment, in consideration of the numerous prior controversies leading to
the disbarment cases filed against Gadon, and the most recent viral video where he displayed the
same controversial behavior despite previous warnings.

The Court also directed the Office of the Bar Confidant to submit an updated list of the pending
administrative cases against Gadon within 10 days from receipt of the Resolution. Likewise, the IBP
was directed to submit within 10 days a status report of the administrative cases against Gadon
pending before the IBP.

The Court had previously penalized Gadon with a three-month suspension in a disbarment case in
2019 for: (1) the statements he

made about the use of legal remedies as slow and requiring a lot of resources; and (2) the malicious
and arrogant language he used against the adverse party and her lawyer. In the same case, the Court
already reminded the former to be more wary of his actions and to restrain himself in displaying ill
temper and to refrain from using abusive and distasteful language. Gadon was already warned that a
repetition of the same or similar act shall be dealt with more severely. But despite such warning,
Gadon has continued to display similarly abhorrent behavior, with the viral video against Robles.

The SC Public Information will immediately upload a copy of the Resolution in the SC website upon
receipt of the ruling from the Office of the Clerk of Court En Banc.

(A.M. No. 21-12-05-SC, In Re: Atty. Lorenzo G. Gadon’s viral video against Ms. Raissa Robles,
January 4, 2022)
 In an 11-page complaint affidavit filed before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on February 4,
Robles accused Gadon of violating the Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act 11313) and of committing
libel and cyber libel.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday

ordered the preventive suspension of lawyer Larry Gadon over his "abhorrent
behavior" in a viral video, where he launched an expletive-laced rant against
journalist Raissa Robles.

The suspension from the practice of law is “effective immediately and to last until
lifted by the Court,” the court's statement read.

It also said it treated the matter as a formal administrative complaint for disbarment
against Gadon

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/1/4/gadon-preventive-suspension-sc.html

Senatorial candidate Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon has been suspended indefinitely from law practice by the Supreme
Court for verbal outbursts against a journalist.

In a statement Tuesday, the tribunal said the court en banc ordered the preventive suspension and ordered
Gadon to explain within 10 days why he should not be disbarred.

The suspension is effective immediately and will last until lifted by the Court.

Gadon's troubles arose from a video posted online on December 15 that showed him uttering profanities against
journalist Raissa Robles after the latter labeled presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as a tax
evader.

The SC said Gadon displayed the same behavior in previous instances, which are the subject of disbarment
complaints before the SC and Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

The Office of the Bar Confidant was ordered to submit an updated list of the pending administrative cases
against Gadon and report of the charges. (PNA)