NBI Seeks Disbarment of Former Lawmaker Paras, Four Other Lawyers

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed a disbarment complaint against former lawmaker Jacinto Paras and four other lawyers before the Supreme Court, alleging their involvement in a honey trap plot targeting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto. Emeterio Dongallo Jr., chief of NBI-National Capital Region, stated that the disbarment complaint is separate from the qualified human trafficking charges the NBI filed before the Department of Justice on September 4 against Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste, Paras, and five others. The case originated from an operation on July 28 in Malate, Manila, which led to the rescue of five women and the arrest of a talent manager. Leviste, Paras, and the four lawyers were previously subpoenaed in connection with the human trafficking complaint but did not appear before the NBI. Leviste’s camp has denied any involvement in the alleged scheme. Paras’ lawyers, Mark Tolentino and Ferdinand Topacio, have denied the accusations, asserting that their client neither recruited nor hired the women involved. This development highlights potential power struggles and alleged illicit activities within the political and business circles of the Philippines, necessitating a rigorous judicial review. The disbarment complaint, concerning professional ethics of lawyers, also raises concerns for the legal profession as a whole.