Roque faces disbarment

(UPDATES) FORMER Palace spokesman Harry Roque is facing a disbarment complaint filed before the Supreme Court by a former colleague. On Tuesday, former Cabinet secretary Melvin Matibag did not divulge the details of the disbarment complaint but cited the former spokesman's social media posts, including a video allegedly showing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. snorting cocaine. "For us to be guided on what should be our behavior when it comes to social media as a platform, he posted something and reposted it. It showed a deepfake video of the President using drugs. It's been established that this is fake news and fake evidence," Matibag told reporters in English and Filipino. He also pointed out that he and Roque worked together in the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte and were in the same party together, which was the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino. However, he said his affiliations have nothing to do with the disbarment case against what he called a "friend" and says there is nothing personal about it. In a statement, Roque, however, called this an "act of attention" and said disbarment complaints should be made public. "We have to understand that the posting of the video on social media is protected by free speech under the privilege doctrine. It involves a serious disease of a President that deserves an admission or denial. [Marcos] has not done either," Roque said. "Also, the polvoronic video is a national security matter affecting the lives and future of millions of Filipinos. The authenticity and the content of the video deserve widespread discussion," he added. Roque also claimed that the House of Representatives quad committee is "pulverizing" him because of the video. On Monday, Roque's daughter Bianca asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary protection order that prohibits the quadcomm from enforcing the warrant of arrest against him. On the X social media platform, former senator Leila de Lima pointed out that fugitives like Roque have been abusing legal relief in recent days. She said other fugitives like Gerald Bantag, Arnolfo Teves, Apollo Quiboloy and Alice Guo were abusing this legal procedure. "There should be a judicial policy that would deny people relief from the courts unless they surrender first and submit to the authority of the courts or Congress," de Lima said. "No one should ever be allowed to invoke the law while running away from it," she added.