EDITORIAL - Looking for a replacement

With corruption among the most serious problems besetting this country, the ombudsman has one of the toughest jobs. Merceditas Gutierrez, under fire for her performance, has quit. Her predecessor, Simeon Marcelo, also resigned, saying the job made him physically ill. His predecessor, Aniano Desierto, had his share of controversies.

The person who serves as the nation’s vanguard against corruption also faces high public expectations at the start of his or her term. When those expectations are not met, the ombudsman is in for a hard fall. Gutierrez, who vowed to be “merciless” against the corrupt at the start of her term, will spend much of the rest of her days trying to clear her name and defending her performance. 

Her plight highlighted the need to upgrade the capability of the Office of the Ombudsman. The office needs more investigators and logistics to carry out its mandate. It can also use more assistance in this battle from agencies such as the Commission on Audit and investigating arms of the Department of Finance. Sometimes all it takes is better inter-agency coordination.

It cannot be emphasized enough that the next ombudsman must have not only integrity but also the competence to perform the difficult tasks of unearthing and proving cases of corruption. This job involves painstaking sleuthing to dig up evidence that will stand in court. Guilt is established in a court of law and not in the court of public opinion, and it must be guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Obtaining even a single incriminating document can be a daunting task. Just as challenging is putting together an airtight case to secure a conviction that will not be overturned by a higher court. With the requirements of the job, the ombudsman can feel perpetually overworked and underpaid. The nation can only hope that a person of probity and competence will be chosen for the job.