Ex-Marcos aide Rodriguez downplays disbarment case

Former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez has dismissed the disbarment complaint filed against him on Tuesday by a law student who is related to former Vice President Jejomar Binay, calling it a “desperate attempt” to silence his criticism of the Marcos administration, of which he was once a part.
In a statement on Wednesday, Rodriguez said the disbarment case was meant to muzzle critics like him “who call out rampant corruption, grave anomalies, political persecution, and the abuse in crafting and spending our national budget, especially the flood control funds, under the Marcos administration.”
“Being a lawyer is my only means of earning a living with honor, so I can support my family and send my children to school. If the goal is to scare me into silence, you are mistaken,” he added.
In seeking Rodriguez’s disbarment before the Supreme Court’s Office of the Bar Confidant, law student Jason Binay Suarez accused the former Palace official of violating the universal lawyer-client privilege and putting the legal profession in a bad light.
This was after Rodriguez supposedly disclosed confidential details about Mr. Marcos’ presidential campaign in 2022 in the book titled “Kingmaker: The Hard Copy.”
“For me, the things he revealed—whether true or not—are not just mere stories but calculated moves tied to personal interest and political ambition,” Suarez said in a statement.
He argued that Rodriguez’s move was prohibited under the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability and a “misuse of clients’ trust” that undermines public confidence in the legal profession.
“A lawyer’s duty to safeguard a client’s trust is a pillar of justice, and when it is breached—especially at the highest levels of political power—it damages not only the lawyer-client relationship but also the credibility of our democratic institutions,” Suarez said.
Senseless, baseless
In a separate Facebook Live post on Wednesday, Rodriguez argued that the disbarment complaint was “senseless” and “baseless,” and that it would not stop him from speaking up.
Rodriguez was one of the first appointments of President Marcos after he won in May 2022, but he served as executive secretary for only 79 days. He announced his resignation on Sept. 17 that same year, saying he wanted “to spend more time with his family.”
Around the time of his resignation, Rodriguez said he chose not to talk too much about his resignation because his communications with the President were “absolutely privileged.” He was succeeded by incumbent Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
In 2024, Rodriguez detailed his experiences as one of the President’s closest advisers in the “Kingmaker” book, in which he claimed he was asked to resign because of his soured relationship with first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
In 2025, Rodriguez unsuccessfully ran for the Senate as an “independent” candidate endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte.