The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) on Tuesday, Sept. 27, asked the Supreme Court (SC) to cite in contempt of court former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson Lorraine Marie T. Badoy.
In a statement, FLAG Chairperson Manuel “Chel” L. Diokno said Badoy should be punished for her social media attacks against Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar and her husband, University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Chancellor Leo B. Malagar.
“Considering her propensity to red-tag, her red-tagging of the spouses Malagar, and the threat she hurled at Judge Magdoza-Malagar, FLAG entreats the Court to order Lorraine Badoy to show cause why she should not be cited in contempt of court,” Diokno said.
Diokno lauded the SC for its warning after its full court session on Tuesday, Sept. 27. The SC said: "The Court STERNLY WARNS those who continue to incite violence through social media and other means which endanger the lives of judges and their families, and that this SHALL LIKEWISE BE CONSIDERED A CONTEMPT OF THIS COURT and will be dealt with accordingly.”
“Badoy’s irresponsible statements were apparently triggered by the Decision rendered by Judge Magdoza-Malagar on Sept. 21, 2022 dismissing the petition for proscription filed by the Department of Justice against the Communist Part of the Philippines and the New Peoples’ Army,” Diokno said.
He also said: “Badoy’s threat is not protected speech--it is felony. Her red-tagging of the spouses Malagar violate their rights under international law and Philippine law. Her irresponsible posts against them and others clearly indicate that she will continue to act with impunity unless she is held accountable.”
He recounted that Badoy, in her first social media post, called the judge “a friend of the CPP NPA NDF” and added: “So, if I kill this judge... then please be lenient with me.”
He also said that Badoy called the judge “an ‘unprincipled judge’ who ‘lawyered for them ’ and is ‘a true ally... of this terrorist organization....’”
“In her second post, she deliberately and falsely accused Chancellor Malagar of being a communist sympathizer,” he added.
Please also read:
Lawyers ask SC to act on Badoy’s FB posts vs RTC Judge Malagar on CPP-NPA ruling https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/27/lawyers-ask-sc-to-act-on-badoys-fb-postsvs-rtc-judge-malagar-on-cpp-npa-ruling/
Fine, prison term or both await those who incite violence; threaten judges, their families — SC https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/27/fine-prison-term-or-both-await-those-who-inciteviolence-threaten-judges-their-families-sc/