Davao City acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has escalated his legal actions, this time filing a disbarment case against several top government officials linked to his father’s referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Through his lawyer, Israelito Torreon, Duterte lodged the complaint before the Supreme Court against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, and Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon. Torreon said the officials allegedly violated the Canons of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), but did not identify the specific provisions, noting that doing so “might be violating my oath.”
The move follows an earlier complaint that Duterte filed with the Office of the Ombudsman accusing the same officials and others of kidnapping, arbitrary detention, and violating Republic Act 7438, which safeguards the rights of detained persons.
Remulla, however, was recently cleared by the Ombudsman of any pending case—a requirement submitted to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) as part of his application to be considered for the Ombudsman post. Torreon admitted that the new petition is also aimed at impacting Remulla’s chances of being shortlisted. “Hopefully. I do not have any qualms on the matter. That is one of the aims that we, that Mayor Duterte filed this case,” he said.
Reacting to the development, Remulla dismissed the move as unsurprising. “That is already expected. They cannot hide their displeasure … I will just roll with the punches,” he told reporters.
