Supreme Court tosses De Lima, Lacierda disbarment to IBP

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—The Supreme Court has referred to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) the disbarment complaint against Justice Secretary Leila De Lima and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Usually, when a disbarment complaint is filed with the Supreme Court it is either referred to the Office of the Bar Confidant or the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), high court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said Tuesday.

But in this case, he said it was referred to the IBP “so that it can conduct an impartial assessment or evaluation and then hand over its recommendation to the Supreme Court.”

Private lawyer Agustin Sundiam asked the high court to take disciplinary action against De Lima and Lacierda for their pronouncements and remarks on national television where they called Chief Justice Renato Corona a lawless “tyrant.”

Sundiam said the two secretaries violated their oath as lawyers requiring them to “observe and maintain the respect and dignity due to the courts of justice and judicial offers.”

In a statement, De Lima said Corona is “a tyrant who holds himself above justice and accountability.”

“There is no gainsaying that the subject remarks were calculated precisely to degrade or tend to degrade the administration of justice and erode and undermine the people’s confidence in this Honorable Supreme Court and the judicial officers,” Sundiam said.

Normally, Marquez said the investigation conducted by the IBP is usually 30 days but there are instances when it asks for an extension.

Marquez said the IBP’s Committee on Bar Discipline will conduct the investigation and recommendation.