Former Executive Secretary Atty. Vic Rodriguez is facing a disbarment case before the Supreme Court over allegations that he unlawfully revealed sensitive and confidential information about President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s 2022 presidential campaign and the early months of his administration in his book Kingmaker.
The complaint was filed by Jason Binay Suarez, nephew of former Vice President Jejomar Binay, before the Office of the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court. Suarez claimed that Rodriguez, who also served as Marcos’s legal counsel during the campaign, breached his professional duty and violated the lawyer’s oath as well as the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability.
“In my view, the disclosures, regardless of their truthfulness, were not mere storytelling but a calculated act tied to personal interest and political ambition,” Suarez stated in his affidavit, as reported by abogado.com.ph. He argued that such conduct, explicitly prohibited under the Code, misuses client confidences and damages public trust in the legal profession, particularly when committed by an individual closely associated with the highest office in the country.
Suarez further emphasized that his intention was not to ignite political conflict but to seek the Court’s guidance on upholding the “uncompromising standards of integrity, loyalty, and professionalism” expected from members of the Bar. “This is to educate future members of the legal profession, like myself, on the ethical boundaries we must never cross,” he said.
Rodriguez, a long-time ally of Marcos before their falling out, was a central figure in the 2022 campaign, serving as spokesperson and chief of staff. He was later appointed Executive Secretary but resigned after less than three months amid reported internal disagreements within Malacañang.
Following his resignation, Rodriguez shifted political allegiance, aligning himself with the Duterte camp. He ran for a Senate seat in the May elections as a guest candidate under PDP–Laban, although he failed to secure a position.
The Kingmaker memoir, which offers an insider’s account of Marcos’s rise to the presidency, has stirred controversy due to its candid revelations. Critics argue that it exposes sensitive political strategies and behind-the-scenes events, potentially breaching attorney–client confidentiality.