Ombudsman Samuel Martires charged seven Court of Appeals justices before the Judicial Integrity Board with alleged gross ignorance of the law and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the public.

Martires filed the complaint after the CA justices issued Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) on the Ombudsman’s preventive suspension order on eight Antique board members who were facing complaints of grave misconduct and abuse of authority.

Those charged included CA associate justices Louis Acosta, Marlene Gonzales-Sison, Rex Bernardo L. Pascual, Charlene V. Hernandez-Azura, Roberto Quiroz, Rafael Antonio M. Santos and Ferdinand C. Baylon who were sued for gross ignorance of the law and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

This after the erring Antique board members were issued a writ of preliminary injunction (WPI) by the CA Fourth Division that allowed them to continue rendering public service.

Martires filed the complaint after the CA justices issued TROs on the Ombudsman’s preventive suspension order on eight Antique board members who were facing complaints of grave misconduct and abuse of authority.

The WPI was received by the board members on 18 December 2024, a day before the lapse of the 60-day temporary restraining order (TRO) that the CA issued on 7 November last year.

Board Member Alfie Jay Niquia in a January 2025 published report said the CA’s TRO expired on 7 January, but they continued to render services in their public capacity because of the WPI.

Aside from Niquia, the other board members suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman were Egidio Elio, Rony Molina, Victor Condez, Plaridel Sanchez, Mayella Mae Plameras-Ladislao, Kenneth Dave Gasalao and Julius Cezar Tajanlangit.