The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday has ordered former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Badoy to show cause as to why should not be cited for contempt.
The SC Public Information Office (SCPIO) said in a statement that the tribunal decided to take this action during the en banc session held Tuesday when the justices discussed the action the high court should take against Badoy over her social media attacks against Manila Judge Marlo Madoza-Malagar.
The former Palace official earlier criticized the magistrate’s decision to dismiss the proscription petition that sought the declare as terrorists the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
The SCPIO said the tribunal ordered “Lorraine Marie T. Badoy to SHOW CAUSE, within a non-extendible period of 30 calendar days from the time that
this Resolution is served on her, why she should not be CITED IN CONTEMPT OF THE JUDICIARY AND THEREFORE OF THIS COURT.”
Badoy was also ordered to respond to the following issues under oath:
i. Whether or not she posted or caused the posting of the statements attacking the September 21, 2022 Resolution rendered by the Regional Trial Court in Civil Case No. R MNL-18-00925-CV in any or all of her social media accounts;
ii. Whether or not her social media post encouraged more violent language against the judge concerned in any or all of her social media platforms;
iii. Whether or not her post, in the context of social media and in the experience of similar incendiary comments here or abroad, was a clear incitement to produce violent actions against a judge and is likely to produce
such act; and
iv. Whether or not her statements on her social media accounts, implying violence on a judge, is part of her protected constitutional speech.
Last week, the SC issued a warning against making threats to judges following Badoy’s social media attacks against the magistrate.
“The Court STERNLY WARNS those who continue to incite violence through social media and other means which endanger the lives of judges and their families, and that this SHALL LIKEWISE BE CONSIDERED A CONTEMPT OF THIS COURT and will be dealt with accordingly,” declared the SC in a statement.
