Lawyer Larry Gadon talks to reporters outside the Comelec office in Manila before filing his certificate of candidacy for the position of senator. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News



MANILA - The lawyer behind the impeachment complaint against ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is running for senator.

Lawyer Larry Gadon, a member of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan political party, arrived at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office Friday afternoon to file his certificate of candidacy.

"Iboboto ako ng sambayanang Pilipino dahil hindi sila bobo. Ako ang iboboto ng sambayanang Pilipino dahil hindi ako bobo," he told reporters.

(Filipinos will vote for me because they are not stupid. They will vote for me because I am not stupid.)

Asked why he decided to run for senator, Gadon says "ang daming bobo sa Senado e," particularly the lawmakers belonging to the opposition. pic.twitter.com/WaSjmkdMit — Patrick Quintos (@PatrickRQuintos) October 12, 2018

Gadon said that if elected, he would focus on bills that would improve the economy and the education system, and help overseas Filipino workers.

Gadon said he would do his best to solve the problem on inflation and high power rates by pushing for alternative energy sources.

"Kaya mataas ang commodities kasi nataas ang rate ng power," he explained.

(Prices of commodities are high because of the high power rate.)

Asked what pushed him to run for the legislature, Gadon said there are several unqualified lawmakers in the Senate, making reference to opposition senators.

"Ang daming bobo sa Senado. Unang-una si Trillanes, Pangilinan, Hontiveros. You can quote me on that. Live ba 'to?"

(There are so many stupid people in the Senate. First among them is Trillanes (Senator Antonio Trillanes IV), (Francis) Pangilinan, (Risa) Hontiveros. You can quote me on that. Is this live?)

Aside from filing an impeachment complaint against Sereno, Gadon was also known as the lawyer who cursed at supporters of the ousted chief magistrate in a rally in Baguio City.

The lawyer refused to apologize for the incident and said what he did to the protesters was a "calculated statement."

"In fact because of that 'bobo' (stupid) thing, lalo akong napansin ng mga tao (more people took notice of me). It was a calculated statement because when I confronted the rallyists sa Baguio marami namang galit sa kanila e kaysa sa natutuwa (many more are against them rather than those who like them). So I pleased those who are bad at them," he said.

Asked about the disbarment charges he is facing because of the incident, he said: "Mga bobo 'yung mga abogadong nag-file noon (The lawyers who filed that are stupid)."

Gadon is facing 4 disbarment cases before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines over varying complaints, including that time when he hurled expletives and raised his middle finger at some Sereno supporters who held a protest at the Supreme Court in Baguio City on April 10.

Gadon was in the 23 to 24 rank in a September survey on senatorial preferences by the Social Weather Stations.

The House justice committee approved a draft of the articles of impeachment against Sereno, but the top magistrate was ultimately booted from office by her colleagues through the granting of a quo warranto petition.

- with a report from Trishia Billones, ABS-CBN