MANILA, Philippines—Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño has asked the Supreme Court to stop a three-month preventive suspension order slapped on him by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) in connection with the bribery scandal over the so-called “Alabang Boys” drug case.

Zuno, the government’s highest-ranking prosecutor, went to the Supreme Court Thursday with a 53-page petition accusing PAGC of grave abuse of discretion for its March 29 order.

PAGC, which is under the Office of the President, wanted to penalize Zuño with a 90-day preventive suspension for approving a resolution by a panel of prosecutors that cleared Jorge Joseph, Joseph Tecson and Richard Brodett—scions of rich families—in a buy-bust operation by the Presidential Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) last year.

The controversial resolution was drafted by State Prosecutor John Resado and reviewed by Senior State Prosecutor Philip Kimpo.

PAGC chief Constancia de Guzman cited Zuño for “misconduct and conduct grossly prejudicial to the service.”

In his petition for a temporary restraining order, Zuño said PAGC was “biased and hell-bent on persecuting, not prosecution.” He said the authority to impose disciplinary action, if any, falls on the Office of the Ombudsman.

“PAGC was created only by executive order and originally it was created to recommend actions to the President. PAGC has no vested statutory power to impose penal or other functions or any form of discipline or administrative action against a public officer,” stressed Zuño.

He said PAGC could not pass judgment on his performance of a quasi-judicial function related to the conduct of preliminary investigation of criminal cases.