MANILA, Philippine – It’s been a whirlwind two days for foul-mouthed defeated senatorial candidate Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon. 

Malacañang on Monday evening, June 26, announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Gadon as Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation. On Wednesday morning, June 28, the Supreme Court declared that he had been “unanimously disbarred,” meaning he can no longer practice law in the Philippines.

That’s only almost 37 hours in between two major announcements. 

The High Court voted 15-0 to disbar 64-year-old Gadon over a viral video where he “repeatedly cursed and uttered profane remarks against journalist Raissa Robles.” The clip, according to a press release, was “indisputably scandalous that it discredits the legal profession.”

This is not the first time that Gadon has been placed under the spotlight for the wrong reasons. 

The Arroyo connection

Gadon, who was born in Oriental Mindoro, obtained his undergraduate degree in management and law from the Far Eastern University. He was admitted to the bar in 1993. 

A previous version of his official website stated that Gadon served as “management and legal consultant” of companies involved in realty development, food manufacturing, information technology, aviation and safety technology, and health care, among others.

Before joining the recent two administrations, Gadon had been explicitly connected to one major political figure – former president and now lawmaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

Gadon was part of Arroyo’s legal team as she faced several cases in relation to corruption allegations during and after her presidency. He represented the former president in various press conferences, mostly during her hospital arrest that lasted four years.

The Duterte years

Gadon thrived during the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, finding ways to embed himself among die-hard supporters of the equally foul-mouthed president. He has been part of the “General Assembly of Republic Defenders” and was president of the Pro-Duterte Constitutional Reformers to Federalism. 

Gadon echoed the pronouncements and attacks of the chief executives, and took them a notch higher by actually filing impeachment cases. 

He was the one who filed an impeachment complaint against then-Supreme Court chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, which the House of Representatives acted on in 2017. At least 25 lawmakers endorsed his complaint that alleged that Sereno was untruthful in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), among others. Sereno was eventually ousted from her post via an SC decision. 

It was during this period where Gadon was recorded on video taking a jab against Sereno supporters. Outside the SC building in Baguio City, he flashed his middle finger against protesters and called them “bobo” (stupid). 

This video went viral and as much as it was condemned by the public, Gadon still basked in this “fame.” He even used it as a tagline for his failed 2019 senatorial campaign – ”Hindi ako bobo  (I am not stupid)!” 

‘True-blooded Marcos loyalist’

If there is anything consistent with Gadon, aside from his scandalous antics, it’s that he has always professed his loyalty to the Marcos family. 

In 2016, he ran for senator under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), the party affiliated with the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. He identified himself as a “true-blooded Marcos loyalist” who wanted to expose and correct history that, he claimed, is biased for the Aquinos.

Gadon lost his 2016 senatorial bid, placing 27th and garnering at least 1.9 million votes.

During his senatorial campaign in 2019 – which he lost again – Gadon said that the Marcos family doesn’t need to apologize for human rights atrocities during Martial Law. 

He tried again to secure a Senate seat in 2022, positioning himself once more as a Marcos ally. He ran under the UniTeam ticket of Marcos and presidential daughter Sara Duterte. During campaign events, Gadon often introduced himself to voters as the “number one Marcos loyalist.” 

For the third time, Gadon lost his Senate bid. He ranked 20th with 9.6 million votes.

Disbarment complaints, suspensions, controversies

In moving to disbar Gadon, the SC said it had acted motu proprio, or on its own initiative, without acting on any complaint. This does not mean that there was a shortage of efforts to disbar him in the first place. 

In 2009, dermatologist Helen Mendoza filed a disbarment complaint against Gadon after he mocked and called her letters related to a dispute “very stupid.” The two at that time worked together at the Ambulatory Health Care Institute. 

In April 2016, lawyers Algamar Latiph and Musa Malayang filed a disbarment complaint against Gadon over his remarks against Muslims during the campaign season. The two lawyers followed up their complaint before the SC in October 2017.

In an interview with GMA News TV in March 2016, Gadon said: “Sampung beses akong luluhod sa (Moro Islamic Liberation Front para huwag nang manggulo), iiyak ako ng bato at dugo, kapag labing-isang pagkakataon at tumanggi pa rin sila, lulusubin ko sila doon at dadalhin ko ang buong sandatahang Pilipinas at papatayin ko silang lahat, susunugin ko ang bahay nila. Burahin ang lahi nila, kahit masunog ang kaluluwa ko sa impiyerno gagawin ko ‘yan.”

(I will kneel before the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to beg them not to launch attacks, I will cry stones and blood, and on the 11th time and they still refuse, I will attack them and bring the entire Philippine army there and kill them all. I will burn their houses and eradicate their race, even if my soul burns in hell, I will do that.)

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In April 2018, a group of concerned citizens filed a disbarment complaint against Gadon before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in relation to his action against Sereno supporters in Baguio City, in which he flashed them the middle finger and called them stupid. 

Prior to this latest SC decision disbarring him, Gadon was also suspended twice by the Supreme Court. 

In June 2019, SC slapped him with a three-month suspension in relation to the 2009 complaint by Mendoza, saying that Gadon’s actions “tramp the integrity and dignity of the legal profession and the judicial system, and adversely reflect on his fitness to practice law.”

In January 2022, the High Court suspended Gadon indefinitely over expletives hurled at  journalist Raissa Robles. 

The Department of Health also reprimanded Gadon in 2020 after he claimed that face masks cannot stop the spread of COVID-19, and that the government over-reacted against the pandemic. He was also previously spotted sporting a face shield with a mask taped above it.

But the disciplinary actions and complaints against Gadon seemed to unfaze his allies, or at least then-vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte. During the campaign for the 2022 elections, Duterte even campaigned for him, pointing out that they both face disbarment efforts.

“Kukunin ko itong abogado sa disbarment ko dahil may experience sa disbarment cases,” she said. (I will get him as a lawyer in my disbarment case because he has experience in disbarment cases.)

In a statement on Wednesday, Malacañang stood by Gadon’s appointment, saying that his work with the government “will not get affected by his status as a lawyer.”

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said, “The President believes he will do a good job.”

Looks like President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. doesn’t mind having a disbarred lawyer – over misogyny and sexism – to be his sounding board on issues related to poverty in the Philippines. – Rappler.com