Kin of EJK victims, human rights defenders file disbarment complaint vs Rodrigo Duterte

Human rights alliance KARAPATAN joined kin of victims of extrajudicial killings and human rights defenders in filing a complaint to disbar lawyer and former President Rodrigo Duterte on January 17, 2025 before the Supreme Court for violations of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) and for conduct unbecoming a lawyer.

“We support this initiative as part of efforts to hold Duterte accountable for violations of human and people’s rights,” said KARAPATAN secretary general Cristina Palabay.

Among the complainants are Atty. Vicente Jaime “VJ” M. Topacio, son of NDFP consultants Agaton Topacio and Eugenia Magpantay who were extrajudicially killed in their home in November 2020; Llore Pasco, whose sons Crisanto and Juan Carlos were found dead on October 12, 2017, killed in an alleged police drug war operation; and Liezel Asuncion, widow of Bayan-Cavite coordinator Manny Asuncion, who was among the nine activists killed in the Bloody Sunday Massacre of March 7, 2021.

Also among the complainants are Rosenda Lemita, whose daughter Ana Mariz and son-in-law Ariel Evangelista were killed during the Bloody Sunday police raids, and Lean Porquia, son of slain Bayan Muna – Panay coordinator Jory Porquia. Human rights defenders former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, KARAPATAN secretary general Cristina Palabay, Fr. Manuel Gatchalian, SVD, Sr. Eleanor Llanes, ICM, Hustisya secretary general Ofelia Balleta, Norma Dollaga, Orly Marcellana, Bayan secretary general Raymond Palatino, Tina-Agel Romero and cultural workers Bonifacio Ilagan, JL Burgos, Kiri Dalena.

“With Duterte’s invocation of his role as lawyer and prosecutor as some kind of authority in his recent testimony at the hearings at the House of Representatives and the Senate, we believe it is time for victims of human rights violations to speak up. It is time for us to appeal to the Supreme Court to reinforce how the law should work in the Philippines, how the law should shield victims of human rights violations as they seek justice and should ensure dignified and proper conduct in the practice of law,” Topacio said.

Pasco, on the other hand, stressed, “We want justice. I was there when Duterte testified at the Quadcom hearings and he was obviously trying to intimidate us. We ask the esteemed justices of the Supreme Court to protect us from people like him who use their status as a lawyer to try to make wrong and reprehensible things seem right.”

She added: “We ask that the law be fairly rendered, so that the most basic right to life of Filipinos is protected and so our people will trust and believe in our courts and the possibility of justice.”

Asuncion said, “Duterte continues to speak out in favor of human rights violations. He should be disbarred for his unacceptable conduct and pernicious abuse of his position that devalues human life and undermines respect for civil liberties.”

Palabay appealed to the Supreme Court to “spare us from Duterte’s further antics and unabashed demagoguery. He degrades our public discourse on human and people’s rights, but much, much worse, he attacks and seeks to destroy the human dignity of ordinary Filipinos.”

“This petition for disbarment is especially relevant, since Rodrigo Duterte has presented himself as one of the legal counsels of his daughter, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, who is currently facing at least three impeachment complaints,” said Palabay. “We fervently hope the disbarment complaint will be given due course by the Supreme Court.”