"I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends."
Hindi pinatulan ni Atty. Ferdinand Topacio ang hamong "one-on-one voice and singing competition" sa kaniya ni Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon, nitong Miyerkules, Hulyo 30.
Hinamon ni Gadon si Topacio nang maghain ito ng "indirect contempt" sa laban sa kaniya, na nag-ugat dahil sinabi niyang "tuta ng mga Duterte" ang Korte Suprema kaugnay sa desisyon nito sa impeachment case ni Vice President Sara Duterte.
Sen. Bato, masayang nakita ang apo
MAKI-BALITA: Gadon sa Korte Suprema: ‘Tuta ng mga Duterte!’
Sinabi ni Gadon na gumagawa lamang daw ng ingay si Topacio para umano makakuha ng atensyon. Patutsada pa niya, ito raw ang istilo nito.
"I understand why my friend, Atty. Ferdie Topacio, had to file a contempt case against me for bluntly telling the truth about the impeachment ruling of the [Supreme Court]," ani Gadon sa isang pahayag.
"This is his style — creating a lot of noise to attract publicity and attention to himself," dagdag pa niya.
Binanggit pa ni Gadon, isa ring abogado, na nagpe-perform sila ng jazz noon kung kaya't hinahamon niya si Topacio ng singing competition for a cause.
"We were performing back-to-back in jazz and piano bars years ago. I challenge Atty. Topacio to a one-on-one voice and singing competition for a cause—fund-raising just like Gen. Nicolas Torre," aniya.
Gayunman, hindi pinatulan ni Topacio ang hamong ito.
"Kaibigan ko yan si Atty. Gadon, in fact, lagi kaming nagco-concert n'yan. But, kasamang Larry, this is no laughing matter. I am the officer of the court. Isang katungkulan ko ang maipagtanggol ang karangalan at reputasyon ng ating Kataas-taasang Hukuman," ani Topacio sa isang panayam sa media habang nasa Korte Suprema.
Giit pa niya, "I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends. Sa akin this is nothing personal, this is part of my duty as an officer of the court, I have to do this. I hope you understand."
"Alam ko kung ikaw ay abogado pa rin hanggang ngayon at ako ang gumawa nito, if the situation were reversed, you would have done the same thing. Pero kung gusto mo magkantahan, walang problema sa akin. Passion natin 'yan, kasamang Larry."
