Lawyer Berteni Causing, the spokesperson of the Mabasa family in the Percy Lapid killing, was disbarred by the Supreme Court over a Facebook post he made in 2019.
Causing’s posting of a draft plunder charge over FB, coupled with his earlier one-year suspension for violation of the confidentiality of an ongoing family court dispute, prompted the SC decision.
In its 10-page decision, the High Court said Causing violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and the Lawyer’s Oath.
The SC modified the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ recommendation to sanction Causing, a journalist before he became a lawyer.
“The aforesaid case and the case at hand show that Attorney Causing has the propensity to divulge sensitive information in online platforms… to the detriment of the people involved,” the SC said.
“The filing of the disbarment complaint against 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,” it added.
Causing invoked his rights to freedom of expression and the press, but the SC found his defense untenable.
“As a member of the Bar, Attorney 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,” the Court said.
“Causing’s posting of the complaint for plunder on his Facebook account was motivated by the desire to damage the reputation of the respondents,” it added.