More than 170 lawyers on Tuesday, Sept. 27, asked the Supreme Court (SC) to take “firm action” against former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson Lorraine Marie T. Badoy for her “tirades and threats” against Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Marlo A. Magdoza-Malagar.
“We call on the Supreme Court not to let this pass and to take immediate, concrete, and firm action to protect justice actors and the rule of law,” the lawyers said in a statement.
“The Court must hold accountable those who threaten and malign our judges and lawyers,” they said.
On Tuesday, Sept. 2l7, the SC took up on its own even without a petition the issue on Badoy’s social media posts against Judge Malagar who ruled that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) are not terrorist organizations.
In her Facebook post, Badoy accused Judge Malagar of "lawyering" for the CPP-NPA.
"So, if I kill this judge and I do so out of my political belief that all allies of the CPP NPA NDF (National Democratic Front) must be killed because there is no difference in my mind between a member of the CPP NPA NDF and their friends, then please be lenient with me," Badoy also stated in her Facebook post last Friday, Sept. 23. The post was deleted last Saturday, Sept. 24.
The SC warned that fine or imprisonment or both will be imposed on “those who continue to incite violence through social media and other means which endanger the lives of judges and their families.”
It was not known immediately if the SC would order Badoy to explain on her possible charge of contempt of court.
National Union People’s Lawyers (NUPL) President Edre U. Olalia indicated in his Facebook post that the statement was signed by 174 lawyers including himself.
Among the other signatories, Olalia said, were former Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Carlos Zarate; former Quezon Fourth District Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III; NUPL chairperson Neri Colmenares; former Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president Ade Fajardo; former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon; Lyceum College of Law Dean Pacifico Agabin; University of La Salle School of Law Dean Jose Romeo S. Dela Cruz; Ateneo de Davao College of Law Dean Manuel Quibod; San Sebastian College Graduate School of Law Dean Rodel Taton; University of San Agustin Dean Jose Mari Tirol; and 2019 Bar topnotcher Mae Diane Azores.
The lawyers said they issued the statement in response to “the grave and disturbing threats and scurrilous statements that Lorraine Marie T. Badoy, former spokesperson for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, repeatedly made in her social media posts against Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar of the Regional Trial Court of Manila for dismissing the petition of the Department of Justice to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army as ‘terrorist’ organizations under the Human Security Act.”
“Ms. Badoy, without offering any credible evidence, accused Judge Malagar of being a friend and ally of the CPP-NPA, of lawyering for the said organizations, and of abusing her power to inflict harm on Filipinos,” they said.
“Ms. Badoy also suggested links between Judge Malagar's husband, who is also a lawyer, and rebel groups. She also insinuated that some human rights lawyers helped craft Judge Malagar's decision,” they also said.
They pointed out that the Badoy’s allegations are “beyond the bounds of fair and reasonable criticism.”
“These constitute a direct attack against the judiciary and its officers that is intended to undermine public confidence in the justice system and to harass and intimidate those who choose to act independently to promote the rule of law,” they said.
They lamented that “Ms. Badoy continues her brazen and outrageous attacks through social media without compunction, including threats to life and to bomb offices, vicious red-tagging, and wild accusations.”
“Lies, spins, and libelous accusations amounting to criminal contempt against judges, if left unchecked, erode the people’s faith in our courts and justice system. We must not stand idly by while justice actors are attacked by those who work to spread fear and paranoia,” they warned.
“Ms. Badoy must be held accountable while those who dare to follow her lead must be warned that there are consequences for violating the law,” the lawyers stressed.
Pls read: 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/