OVER TWO DECADES after the so-called “hoodlooms in robes” was exposed, a new generation of corrupt justices has emerged — and yet the Supreme Court doesn’t seem to care, says Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.
In his radio program dubbed as “Executive Session,” Remulla called the attention of the Supreme Court to act on a pending administrative complaint against seven justices of the Court of Appeals (CA).
The Ombudsman particularly cited cases of gross negligence of law and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service filed by his predecessor Samuel Martires against CA justices in March last year.
Most of the complaints, he said, involve CA’s reversal of the preventive suspension orders issued by the Office of the Ombudsman against local officials.
Named respondents in the complaint include CA associate justices Louis Acosta, Rex Bernando Pascual, Mary Charlene Hernandez-Azura, Roberto Quiroz, Ferdinand Baylon, Marlene Gonzales-Sison and Rafael Santos.
Of the seven CA associate justices being complained about, two have already retired — Sison and Santos.
“To date, there appears no public record of the Judicial Integrity [Office] or the Supreme Court having acted or resolved that complaint,” Remulla said in response to SC Spokesperson Camille Ting’s statement urging the Office of the Ombudsman to file formal charges against the CA Justices if he has evidence.
According to Ting, SC is not acting — and would never act on mere allegations and broad accusations.
Citing the case of the Antique officials, including Tobias Fornier Municipal Mayor Mayor Ernesto Tajanlangit III, Remulla said the complaint pending with the SC’s Judicial Integrity Office, has long been piling dust in the high tribunal.
The Judicial Integrity Office is SC’s arm mandated to investigate disciplinary cases in the judiciary.
CA in 2024 nullified the Ombudsman’s preventive suspension order against Tajanlangit over a dispute with then Vice Mayor Jose Maria Fornier regarding a food pack distribution.
“It’s about time that we examine the justice system … We cannot make the Supreme Court, (lower) courts, the judges and the justices of the appellate court sacred cows. There should be no sacred cows anymore.”
