MANILA — Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio asked the Supreme Court (SC) to cite Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago for indirect contempt, accusing her of violating confidentiality rules after she disclosed the filing of a disbarment complaint against him.

In a report, it said that Topacio argued that Elago’s internal advisory to the media and subsequent public statements effectively identified him as the subject of the disbarment case, even if she initially did not name him directly.

“Ang disbarment complaint po ay confidential in our rules of court sapagkat ito po ay nakakasira sa reputasyon ng isang abugado na hindi pa man nahahatulan kung may kasalanan o hindi,” he said in an ambush interview.

“Kapag nilabag ninyo po ‘yang confidentiality rule ay dapat po kayo managot,” he added.

In March, Elago confirmed that she filed a disbarment complaint against a lawyer but declined to name the respondent, citing confidentiality rules governing bar proceedings.

In his petition before the SC, Topacio cited a press advisory and news reports that later identified him as the subject of the complaint, saying Elago’s statements made it clear he was being referred to.

Elago said she filed the complaint over alleged disrespectful and obscene remarks made by the lawyer against her, which she said were intended to silence and degrade women.

Topacio, however, maintained that his remarks were not intended to be disrespectful and were made as part of a “passionate exchange of ideas.”

In response, Gabriela Women’s Party called the petition “pathetic and politically motivated.”

“After making misogynistic and degrading remarks against her, Topacio now seeks to play the victim and use legal threats to divert attention from his own conduct and accountability,” the group said.

It added that the filing was an attempt to intimidate Elago, who it described as a legislator advocating for women’s rights, human rights, and anti-corruption measures.