Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Friday filed a complaint against seven Court of Appeals Justices before the Judicial Integrity Board for alleged "gross ignorance of the law and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the public."

Named as respondents are Associate Justices Louis Acosta, Marlene Gonzalez-Sison, Rex Bernardo Pascual, Mary Charlene Hernandez-Azura, Roberto Quiroz, Rafael Antonio Santos, Ferdinand Baylon.

The case stemmed from the temporary restraining order granted by the justices on Antique local officials who were facing complaints over alleged grave misconduct, and abuse of authority. 

in his prayer filed before the Judicial Integrity Board on Friday, Martires said the justices granted the TRO despite the suspension order against concerned officials already fully implemented.

The case involved Tobias Fornier, Antique Vice Mayor Jose Maria Fornier who charged Mayor Ernesto Tajanlangit III for direct assault, Abuse of Authority, Gave Misconduct and Conduct Unbecoming of a Public Official.

Fornier filed the case against Tajanlangit in June 2024 after being allegedly attacked by the mayor when the latter insisted on confiscating food packs intended for distribution to the constituents at Tobias Fornier.

The Ombudman acted on the case by issuing a preventive suspension order against Tajanlangit.

Also ordered suspended were Antique Board members Egidio Elio, Rony Molina, Victor Condez, Alfie Jay Niquia, Plaridel Sanchez IV, Mayella Mae Ladislao, Kenneth Gasalao, and Julius Tajanlangit.

Martires said the suspension order was served on September 19 and was "fully implemented on even date."

However, Tajanlangit filed before the CA a Petition for Certiorari on October 10, 2024, challenging the Ombudsman' preventive suspension order.

Martires said that despite the suspension order already been fully implemented, the Justices granted Tajanlangit's application for a TRO and enjoined the enforcement of the order.

"Despite the fact that the Preventive Suspension had already been fully implemented, the CA Fourth Division composed of respondent justices... issued a resolution dated Nov. 7, 2024, granting the petitioners' prayer for TRO and enjoining the implementation of an 'already implemented' preventive suspension order of the Ombudsman dated Aug. 1, 2024," said Martires.

The Ombudsman also said the suspension orders against the board members have been fully implemented on August 5, 2024 while their petitions for certiorari was lodged with the CA only on October 3, 2024.

"Again, if the elemental doctrine that no injunction should issue to restrain an act already done still applies, doubtless, respondent Justices gravely abused their discretion and worse, displayed gross ignorance of the law in issuing the TROs," said Martires.

He added that Mayor Tajanlangit filed two petitions before the CA without attaching certified copies of the suspension order which was the subject of the certiorari.

"Such procedural infirmity should have merited outright dismissal of the Petitions. Instead, the respondent justices precipitately gave due course to the Petitions and simply closed their eyes or glossed over this fundamental requirement," said the Ombudsman.