MANILA, Philippines—The Court of Appeals on Thursday raffled off to the 10th division the petition filed by Social Security System (SSS) President Romulo Neri questioning his suspension over the botched national broadband deal.

Associate Justice Pampio Abarintos will handle Neri’s plea to issue a temporary restraining order barring the Office of the Ombudsman from suspending him for six months.

The Ombudsman has found Neri guilty of misconduct for his role in the scuttled $329-million deal of the Philippine government with China’s ZTE Corp.

Neri during the Senate inquiry last year alleged that he was offered a bribe by former elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. but the former socioeconomics and planning secretary refused to divulge information about his conversation with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the ZTE contract.

In his petition, Neri said the Ombudsman abused its discretion for suspending him.

Other members of Court of Appeals 10th division include Associate Justices Juan Enriquez Jr. and Francisco Acosta.