MANILA, Philippines- Itiniwalag ng Supreme Court ang abogadong Berteni Causing, tagapagsalita ng pamilya Mabasa, sa kanyang propesyon, dahil sa draft plunder complaint na ipinost niya sa Facebook noong 2019.
Sa 10-page decisionna may petsang October 4, 2022, binago ng SC ang penalty ng Integrated Bar of the Philippines mula sa reprimand sa disbarment sa paglabag sa Code of Professional Responsibility at sa Lawyer’s Oath.
Gayundin, sinabi ng Korte na hindi ito ang unang beses na naparusahan si Causing.
Nauna na siyang sinuspinde sa loob ng isang taon sa paglabag sa confidentiality ng ongoing family court proceeding.
“The aforesaid case and the case at hand show that Atty. Causing has the propensity to divulge sensitive information in online platforms… to the detriment of the people involved,” anang SC.
“The filing of the disbarment complaint against Atty. Causing in the Velasco case should have served as a deterrent. However, it appears that the same had no effect. Thus, the penalty of disbarment is warranted,” dagdag nito.
Samantala,ipinag-utos ng SC sa Office of the Bar Confidant na alisin ang pangalan ni Causing mula sa Roll of Attorneys
Nag-ugat ang kaso sa draft complaint-affidavit na ipinost ni Causing noong January 2019 na nag-aakusa sa government officials ng plunder.
Inihain ang kaso sa Office of the Ombudsman, kung saan muling ipinost ni Causing ang complaint affidavit sa kanyang social media account.
Bilang depensa, ginamit ni Causing ang kanyang rights to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Subalit, ayon sa Korte, ang kanyang argumento ay “untenable”.
“As a member of the Bar, Atty. Causing ought to know that Facebook— or any other social medium, for that matter— is not the proper forum to air out his grievances, for a lawyer who uses extra-legal fora is a lawyer who weakens the rule of law,” anang Korte.
“Atty. Causing’s posting of the complaint for plunder on his Facebook account was motivated by the desire to damage the reputation of the respondents,” patuloy nito.
Base sa Korte, nabahiran na ang reputasyon ng respondents matapos ipost ni Causing ang reklamo.
“The documentary evidence presented by Lao, which consists of screenshots of Atty. Causing’s post, show that she was subjected to public hate, contempt, and ridicule,” anito.
Samantala, binalaan naman ng Korte ang mga abogado na maging maingat sa pag-post online.
“They are reminded to always practice restraint in their conduct, be it in real life or online. Otherwise, the rule of law may very well be completely circumvented and rendered nugatory by posting public trial on social media,” pahayag nito.
Sa isang Facebook live, sinabi ni Causing na iaapela niya ang SC decision at maghahain ng motion for reconsideration. RNT/SA
