MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed for lack of merit an administrative complaint filed against two lawyers, including the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a resolution made public recently and promulgated on June 14, the SC First Division cleared lawyers Edgar Dennis A. Padernal and Manases R. Carpio of wrongdoing in a complaint filed by Cebu resident and Swiss national Aldredo Honegger and his Filipina wife Lumenaria between 2014 and 2018.
The Honeggers had been sued by another Swiss national, Bernhard Burch who obtained a judgment against them for more than PHP6.2 million from a Manila court, which was upheld by the Court of Appeals (CA). Separate suits for estafa and libel as well as violation of the Retail Trade Liberation Act were also filed by Burch against the couple.
A deportation complaint was likewise filed before the Bureau of Immigration against Honneger and is now pending.
The Honnegers, in their administrative complaint, however, claimed the numerous cases against them were filed to harass them and said the two lawyers should be made liable for allegedly filing cases which are baseless, and meant to harass and oppress them.
The two lawyers, however, denied that the suits they filed were frivolous and insisted the same were based on legitimate grievances.
In clearing the lawyers, the SC reiterated the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)'s findings that there is no proof to substantiate the complaints.
"The mere filing and prosecution by Attys. Padernal and Carpio of multiple suits against Alfredo and Lumenaria do not, by themselves, constitute unethical conduct deserving of administrative sanctions," the SC said adding that the lawyers "cannot be penalized for their resort to remedies allowed by law."
Carpio, 47, is the nephew of former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, and his father's cousin is the former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.
Manases and Sara have three children Mikhaila María, and two biological sons, Mateo Lucas and Marko Digong. (PNA)
