Lawyer Jesus Nicardo Falcis III has been suspended from practicing law for one year after the Supreme Court (SC) found him guilty of simple misconduct over a vulgar social media post.
In a ruling penned by Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, the SC said Falcis violated ethical standards expected of lawyers when he posted offensive remarks on X (formerly Twitter) while defending his brother in a legal dispute in 2018.
The complaint was filed by Jason Gene Baltao, a former business partner of actress Kris Aquino. Falcis drew criticism after posting, “Yung mga biased na dilawan dyan, halata kayo… Pakyu kayo mga gago haha check your cognitive biases.”
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines earlier recommended a fine and reprimand, but the SC imposed a stiffer penalty, citing the seriousness of his language and his previous administrative cases.
The High Court stressed that lawyers must remain respectful both offline and online, saying freedom of expression has limits under a lawyer’s oath and professional responsibilities. It added that social media posts can quickly reach millions and influence public behavior.IMT
