Deputized ombudsmen eyed in graft-prone agencies

New Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla is planning to revive the deployment of resident ombudsmen to serve as watchdogs in corruption-prone government agencies, a practice that has been stalled for years despite an existing agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Audit (COA).

- ELIZABETH MARCELO

The revival of the resident ombudsmen deputization program is among key initiatives Remulla is planning to launch in the coming days as part of his aim to make the agency a “more proactive” body.

“I really believe that one overlooked aspect is the proactive aspect that the ombudsman should be playing in our society. Because the origin of the ombudsman is that it is the 'protector of the people' and we have to protect public interest all the time," Remulla said at a press briefing Friday.

"I think the proactive role has not been used at all in the past. Its function is not only to put people in jail or dismiss officials from service, those are not the only roles of the ombudsman," he added.

Remulla pointed out that deputizing resident ombudsmen in select government agencies could be an effective proactive measure to safeguard public coffers from corruption.