MANILA— The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a petition filed by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez questioning the preliminary investigation conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the plunder case against him.

In its ruling in G.R. No. E-07826, Rep. Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez v. Office of the Ombudsman, the SC also rejected his request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or a writ of preliminary injunction that would have stopped the Ombudsman from proceeding with its investigation.

Romualdez had challenged the preliminary investigation, including the Ombudsman’s application for a preliminary hold departure order and freeze order against him, as well as the alleged use of inadmissible evidence.

However, the SC ruled that the petition had become moot following the filing of a plunder charge against Romualdez before the Sandiganbayan.

The court noted that Romualdez had already been arraigned before the anti-graft court and entered a plea of not guilty.

It also found no exceptional circumstances that would warrant resolving the petition despite the case having become moot.