The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Sunday, May 23, defended a lawyer who was “red-tagged” in a social media post for representing 11 students who were arrested on their way to Angeles City to participate in the May 1 Labor Day rally.
IBP President Domingo Egon Q. Cayosa was referring to a Facebook post “Lakbay Kapayapaan” which criticized lawyer Carlos I. Castillo Jr. for helping the 11 League of Filipino Students (LFS) members whom it accused of being terrorists.
Cayosa recounted that University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion was the one who sought help from the IBP in providing the students with a lawyer.
“The IBP National Center for Legal Aid alerted its network and IBP Zambales mobilized its Chapter officers and volunteer legal aid lawyers,” he said in response to Concepcion’s appeal.
“Atty. Carlos Castillo was one of those who responded and got the detained students released on bail,” he said.
“The IBP has brought the red-tagging to the attention of police authorities for investigation,” he added.
The Facebook post read: “Wag na lang mag-abogado kung terrorista ang tutulungan mo (Don’t be a lawyer if you will only help terrorists)!!!”
The post included a video of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison juxtaposed with the photo of Castillo.
The IBP Zambales Chapter has condemned the Facebook post which it described as “unlawful and unjust.”
“This is fake news, an affront and a veiled threat to Atty. Castillo who is a respected member of the Philippine Bar for almost two decades already,” the chapter declared in a statement.