EDITORIAL - In the front line vs graft

In speeches, President Duterte often says that he is waging war against two problems in particular. One is the drug menace. The other is corruption.

The country knows what the President has been doing in his war against illegal drugs. Less clear is his approach to the scourge of corruption, as officials he has fired ostensibly for wrongdoing are given new positions in his government.

He will soon be making one of the most important decisions that will be seen as an indication of his commitment to his battle against graft. Conchita Carpio Morales retires this coming week as ombudsman. Her office is in the front line of the war against corruption. Any war on corruption cannot succeed if this office is headed by someone with questionable credentials, whether in terms of competence or integrity.

As head of a constitutional body with jurisdiction over all public officials, independence is critical for the ombudsman. Controversy has hounded some of the previous holders of the position, with one resigning after she was impeached. Morales herself escaped impeachment amid criticism that she has been dispensing selective justice – an accusation she has strongly disputed.

The failure to punish plunderers from the time of the Marcos dictatorship has bred impunity and is one of the biggest reasons for the prevalence of corruption in this country. The ombudsman is in the forefront of the effort to end that impunity and give the corrupt the punishment they deserve. The success of this battle depends a great deal on making the right choice for ombudsman.