HOUSE leaders on Thursday called for sanctions against Atty. Raul Lambino for spreading false information about a supposed Supreme Court (SC) temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Lambino falsely claimed in a livestream on Tuesday that the SC had issued a TRO to prevent the government’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning Duterte’s arrest.
House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun emphasized that legal professionals have a duty to uphold the truth and should be held accountable for spreading misinformation.
“Well, kung abogado ang nagpakalat, syempre may pananagutan siya doon dahil sa ethics ng abogado. Kailangan hindi nagsasabi ng fake news, hindi nagsasabi ng kasinungalingan. So kailangan din meron silang pananagutan sa bawat salita na lumalabas sa kanilang mga bibig,” Khonghun said.
The Supreme Court recently denied the petition filed by Duterte and Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa seeking a TRO against government agencies’ cooperation with the ICC’s investigation into extrajudicial killings linked to the former administration’s war on drugs.
Khonghun emphasized that the ruling upholds due process and affirms that no one can use the law to evade accountability.
“In the absence of a TRO, ang ibig sabihin, government agencies are not immediately barred from cooperating, lalong-lalo na sa Interpol patungkol sa warrant of arrest ng dating Pangulo. Walang sinuman ang puwedeng gumamit ng batas bilang panangga para umiwas sa responsibilidad at pananagutan,” he said.
House Assistant Majority Leader Ernix Dionisio Jr. echoed Khonghun’s sentiments, highlighting the potential dangers of spreading false information, especially when it misleads the public and tarnishes the image of institutions like the judiciary.
“People who peddle, propagate fake news should really be answerable. I hope, let’s all be responsible no matter which side of the fence ang mga tao. May responsibility tayo to only say and propagate ’yung totoo lang, huwag ’yung fake news,” he noted.
Dionisio acknowledged that while some might have genuinely misunderstood the situation, others could have intentionally spread false information to create confusion.
“Sana nagkamali lang sila, na akala talaga nila meron [TRO]. Pero kung sinadya nila na wala naman palang TRO tapos alam nila na para i-mislead ’yung public, that could promote chaos at hindi maganda sa bansa natin,” he added.
The false reports about a TRO surfaced on the night Duterte was arrested and transferred to the Netherlands to face trial at the ICC. The Supreme Court had already clarified that no TRO was issued.
Khonghun emphasized that those responsible for the misleading information must be held accountable.
“This is a clear case of misinformation. Malinaw na ito ay fake news at alam naman natin na walang puwang ang fake news sa ating lipunan. Sana ’yung mga nagpapakalat ng mga pekeng balita na ito ay managot,” Khonghun said.
The Supreme Court’s ruling further weakens the legal maneuvering of Duterte’s camp to halt cooperation with the ICC. The former president is now in The Hague, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity over thousands of deaths under his war on drugs.
Khonghun reiterated that only the Supreme Court has the authority to issue a TRO and that its decision to reject Duterte’s petition should put to rest any attempts to distort the truth.
“Nakita naman natin na sinabi ng Supreme Court na walang legal na basehan pa ang pag-i-issue ng TRO. So malinaw na ito ay fake news at may nagpakalat nito para lituhin ang ating taong bayan dahil sa maling impormasyon.”
