📷 eLegal Philippines
The Supreme Court En Banc has found previously disbarred Lorenzo G. Gadon (Gadon) guilty of gross misconduct for committing perjury and making accusations based on hearsay.
A complaint was filed before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) seeking Gadon’s disbarment for falsehoods in an impeachment complaint he had filed against then de facto Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (Sereno) before the House of Representatives (HOR).
Gadon was also accused of filing baseless criminal cases against several Supreme Court officials.
After investigation, the IBP – Committee on Bar Discipline recommended that Gadon be suspended for two years after it found that Gadon lied under oath when he claimed that then de facto Chief Justice Sereno falsified a Supreme Court temporary restraining order (TRO). It, however, dismissed for lack of evidence the allegation of baseless cases against Court officials.
The IBP – Board of Governors (IBP-BOG) modified to three years the recommended period of suspension.
The Supreme Court adopted the findings of the IBP-BOG, but modified the penalty. The Court ruled that Gadon was guilty of gross misconduct punishable by disbarment. However, since he had already been previously disbarred, the penalty of disbarment will no longer be imposed but nevertheless recorded in his personal file. He was also fined PHP 150,000 and adjudged ineligible for judicial clemency.
The Court found that Gadon committed perjury for making allegations in his impeachment complaint not based on his personal knowledge or on any authentic records, contrary to his sworn guarantee in the Verification attached to his complaint.
Gadon knew that he never had any personal knowledge nor any authentic document to support the accusation that Sereno falsified a TRO of the Court. Yet, he still included this in his verified impeachment complaint, attempting to lend a semblance of credibility to his unfounded accusation.
This not only deceived the HOR, but also revealed an intent to inflict unnecessary harm to the reputation of a lawyer and former member of the Court.
All these confirm that Gadon was motivated by a malicious intent to malign and defame Sereno.
The Court added that the subsequent 2018 case of Republic v. Sereno, which nullified Sereno’s appointment as Chief Justice, and the preliminary findings of the HOR Committee on Justice do not absolve Gadon.
His disregard for the verification requirement in impeachment complaints shows disrespect for the impeachment process, using it to advance his personal agenda rather than air genuine and legitimate grievances.
The Court thus ruled that Gadon violated Canon II, Section 11 of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, which prohibits lawyers from making false statements and makes him liable for Gross Misconduct, a serious offense.
The Supreme Court Public Information Office will upload a copy of the Resolution in A.C. No. 13842 (Garrido, Jr. v. Gadon) once it receives the same from the Office of the Clerk of Court En Banc. (Supreme Court PH | Facebook)
