Petitions for indirect contempt were filed before the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday against Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon and two others over alleged improper remarks directed at the High Court.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio filed the petition against Gadon, while lawyers Mark Kristopher Tolentino and Rolex Suplico lodged a separate petition against political analyst Richard Heydarian and Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña.
Earlier this week, Gadon allegedly made offensive statements accusing the SC of being politically aligned with the Duterte family in connection with its ruling on the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Topacio argued that Gadon’s remarks constitute contempt of court, describing them as improper conduct that undermines the integrity of the judiciary.
He added that, as a public official, Gadon’s statements carry more weight and have a greater impact compared to those made by private individuals.
In an interview with Manila Standard, Gadon said the petition provides him with an opportunity to expose what he called the “hypocrisy” of the Supreme Court.
He also claimed the Vice President should be penalized for her alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In a separate 15-page petition, Tolentino and Suplico argued that Heydarian’s social media post referring to the SC as the “Supreme Coddler” implied the Court had abandoned its constitutional duties in favor of political loyalty.
Cendaña’s similar public remarks were also cited for allegedly suggesting judicial dereliction of duty and complicity in political shielding.
“The public statements made by respondents Richard Heydarian and Rep. Perci Cendaña, characterizing the Supreme Court as the ‘Supreme Coddler’ and insinuating bias and subservience to former President Duterte, constitute improper conduct within the ambit of this rule. These statements scandalize the Court by undermining public confidence in its independence and integrity,” the petition read.
Duterte on Wednesday meanwhile urged her supporters to stay vigilant and strong amid efforts to remove her from office, following the SC ruling that declared the Articles of Impeachment against her unconstitutional.
In a statement, Duterte thanked her legal team “for standing by me even when no one else was willing,” and criticized unnamed leaders whose “greed will bring down our homeland.”
For his part, Senate President Francis Escudero defended the Upper House’s cautious stance in the impeachment process, saying the SC ruling validated their approach.
“This Supreme Court decision makes me believe the House was rushing things,” Escudero said.
He emphasized that the Senate’s goal was never to delay proceedings but to ensure proper jurisdiction and compliance with constitutional rules.
He noted that five of the 11 directives issued by the SC to the House mirrored earlier Senate actions, including their request for proof of compliance with the one-year ban.
Escudero also welcomed the upcoming Senate debate and vote on August 6, saying the chamber’s record would reflect every decision and reversal.
“The Senate is a body of record. Even our votes on August 6 will be recorded. I look forward
to the debates,” he added.
But the legal battle is far from over. Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio clarified that the SC ruling, while executory, is not yet final pending a Motion for
Reconsideration (MR) to be filed by the House of Representatives.
“If the decision becomes final, of course we have to follow it. But it can still be reversed,” Carpio said in a press briefing.
