Manila: Senator Francis Escudero has formally requested the Supreme Court to disbar lawyer Jesus Nicardo Madarang Falcis III. The senator accuses Falcis of persistently posting defamatory content on social media, which allegedly breaches the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA).
According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero’s verified complaint, distributed to reporters on Monday, details at least seven public Facebook posts made by Falcis between July and September 2025. These posts allegedly employed ‘abusive, demeaning, and malicious language’ directed at Escudero. The senator asserts that these remarks have tarnished his reputation and diminished the integrity of the legal profession.
The complaint quotes posts in which Falcis labeled Escudero as ‘sinungaling’ (liar), ‘bulok na keso’ (rotten cheese), and the ‘worst Senate President in history.’ Furthermore, Falcis purportedly accused Escudero of orchestrating PHP142 billion in budget insertions for the 2025 national budget, linking these to alleged pork barrel allocations and political allies.
Escudero included copies of the posts as annexes to his petition, arguing that Falcis’s actions infringed on several CPRA provisions by using undignified language, making baseless misconduct claims, and sharing unverified or false statements on social media.
Escudero emphasized that the severity and impact of Falcis’s posts warrant a level of bar discipline that exceeds a mere warning, reprimand, or suspension. He urged the Supreme Court to expel Falcis from the Roll of Attorneys, highlighting that his actions undermine the legal profession’s dignity and contribute to public judgment in cyberspace.
The senator also noted that Falcis had previously faced direct and indirect contempt citations by the Supreme Court in an earlier case, suggesting a pattern of ethical violations.
The complaint, backed by Escudero’s judicial affidavit, was filed with the Office of the Bar Confidant in Manila. The CPRA, enacted in 2022, mandates that lawyers maintain propriety, respect, and courtesy at all times, including in online platforms. It explicitly forbids attorneys from making false or unverified statements and from using abusive language in both traditional and social media contexts.