Gadon: SC ruling ‘too harsh’

PRESIDENTIAL adviser on poverty alleviation Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon said he will file a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court over its “too harsh” decision to disbar him for his outburst against a reporter.

“The penalty is too harsh for the alleged cause which was my outburst against a reporter who was blatantly spreading lies against President BBM (in reference to then presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) during the 2016 election campaign intended to fool the public and inflict damage to the candidacy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” he told The Manila Times via Viber.

Lorenzo ‘Larry’ Gadon File Photo by John Orven Verdote

Just the same, he said he would treat the matter as a personal concern as it would not also affect his commitment to the President to help his administration achieve its goals and implement its programs to serve the public particularly on the aspect of poverty alleviation.

“The position and the task given to me by the President do not require lawyering hence my suspension and disbarment have no effect on my appointment,” Gadon said.

He said will just approach this issue on a personal level, file a motion for reconsideration and proceed in facing the challenges of the job and aim to serve the public in the best way that he can.

“It's okay if the Supreme Court thinks that I am to be disbarred. Anyway, I have a new mandate now. I am here to serve as a secretary, not as a lawyer. I will just continue to serve the Filipino people,” Gadon said.

He lamented that political machinations are rampant but he was not bothered as “I will not stop serving the Filipino people.”

“My option to help the President and serve our people has a more noble appeal now,” he said.

Some unnamed lawyers close to Gadon expressed dismay over the high tribunal's decision to disbar him saying there were other lawyers “who made a mockery of the Supreme Court proceedings.”

They cited the cases of a former defeated senatorial candidate said to have falsified a petition supposedly on behalf of fishermen who denied having authorized him and ex-senator and Department of Justice secretary who allowed the former president to travel abroad defying a Supreme Court order, among others.