Malacañang press officials moved to shut down speculation about disciplinary action against one of their own after a comment made during a political exchange drew public attention.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro responded to suggestions that she could face disbarment following a remark in which she likened Vice President Sara Duterte to the horror-film character “Chucky” when angry.
Castro dismissed the idea that her statement could amount to a professional offense serious enough to merit removal from the legal profession. She argued that disbarment cases typically involve conduct tied to grave criminal acts or clear violations of the law, not rhetorical comments made in the course of political discourse.
In explaining her position, Castro contrasted her remark with what she described as conduct that would genuinely justify disbarment, pointing to alleged dealings with an assassin, admissions of killing, theft of public funds, and paying for murder.
“Mas ground for disbarment sa isang lawyer na may kinausap na assassin [at] umaming pumapaty, nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan, at nagbabayad para pumaty,” Castro said.
She maintained that, under existing standards governing the legal profession, disciplinary penalties are anchored on proven acts of serious misconduct rather than comparisons or expressions made during public commentary.
