SC disbars Makati prosecutor for insulting court exec, justices | Inquirer News

SC disbars Makati prosecutor for insulting court exec, justices

/ 05:40 AM September 08, 2023

The Supreme Court has disbarred a prosecutor from Makati City for “brazenly” insulting an officer of the court and making derogatory remarks against the tribunal’s justices.

In a resolution dated Feb. 21 but announced only on Thursday, the court removed Perla Ramirez from the Roll of Attorneys, citing her history of dishing out verbal abuse.

Ramirez was first suspended from practicing law for six months in 2014 for violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility (CPR), the court said. She was then the subject of a complaint that recalled how she berated her neighbors in Makati on several occasions between the 1990s and 2007.

Article continues after this advertisement

In 2016, she requested the lifting of her suspension but was advised by the Office of the Bar Confidant (OBC) to file the necessary motion and a sworn statement that she did not practice law during the period of her suspension.

FEATURED STORIES

Outburst at OBC

According to the high court, Ramirez maintained that such requirements were no longer needed and questioned the authority of Cristina Layusa, the bar confidant at the time. This prompted Layusa to recommend the denial of Ramirez’s request, a recommendation that the tribunal later accepted.

On March 15, 2017, Ramirez went again to the OBC and berated Layusa as the latter explained to her the court’s resolution.

Article continues after this advertisement

An OBC report of the encounter said Ramirez’s outburst was witnessed by several employees and a member of the Supreme Court Security Division.

Article continues after this advertisement

Those witnesses later attested to Ramirez’s foul language as directed at Layusa, as well as her sardonic question as to whether “those justices [were] passers of RA 1080.’’

Article continues after this advertisement

Republic Act No. 1080 is also known as “An Act Declaring the Bar and Board Examinations as Civil Service Examinations.”

Mere privilege

In having Ramirez disbarred, the Supreme Court stressed that “the practice of law is not a right, but a mere privilege which is subject to the inherent regulatory power of this Court.”

Article continues after this advertisement

The court said her conduct was a gross violation of the CPR when she “brazenly insulted the Bar Confidant, an official of the Court” and when she made “disparaging remarks against the Supreme Court justices during her outburst at the OBC.”

“Lawyers should always guard their language because any careless remark can ‘promote distrust in the administration of justice, undermine the people’s confidence in the legal profession, and erode public respect for it,” it added.

—Jacob Lazaro
gsg
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: court, judge, prosecutor, Supreme Court

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.