Former Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has asked the Supreme Court to disbar lawyer Jesus Nicardo Madarang Falcis III, accusing him of crossing ethical lines with a series of public posts that he described as defamatory and malicious.
In a verified complaint filed on September 26, 2025, Escudero argued that Falcis repeatedly violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) by posting remarks on Facebook that were “demeaning, speculative, hateful and malicious.” The complaint stressed that such conduct is unbecoming of a member of the Philippine Bar.
One of the cited posts, made on July 21, 2025, read: “Ang kapal ng mukha ni Chiz Escudero na pagalitan ang House of Representatives for budget insertions and pork barrel pero siya pala mismo, hitik na hitik ang insertions! Kaya pala many Senators are salivating to join Chiz’ majority bloc.”
Escudero, who has been implicated in the ongoing flood control corruption controversy, said the posts were timed around deliberations on the 2025 national budget and flood control programs. He described the remarks as “gratuitous instruments of contempt designed to publicly humiliate” him.
The 29-page complaint accused Falcis of serious breaches under Canon VI (Accountability), Canon II (Propriety), and Canon III (Fidelity) of the CPRA. Escudero emphasized that as a lawyer, Falcis is bound to exercise courtesy and civility—even in criticism—toward colleagues in the profession.
This is not the first time Falcis has drawn the judiciary’s ire. In the same-sex marriage petition he previously filed, the Supreme Court had dismissed the case and cited him for indirect contempt over procedural missteps. Escudero pointed to this history as proof of what he called a “propensity to violate” professional norms.
The disbarment petition comes amid mounting political pressure on Escudero, who was ousted as Senate President earlier this month following protests tied to the flood control corruption scandal.
