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"..We have to work together and declare to everyone that corruption is violence and integrity is peace. Corruption is violence. Corruption kills. It poisons the environment. It destroys institutions. It demoralizes people. It takes away hope. It makes people take the law into their own hands. That is why corruption breeds conflict and war."
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The fundamental law of the land gives the Office of the Ombudsman the calling and badge of "Protector of the People". This constitutional appellation captures the nature of its various functions: The Ombudsman protects the people from abuse and misuse of governmental power for personal aggrandizement. It summarizes the role of the Ombudsman in the scheme of governance. The Office of the Ombudsman is clothed with corresponding authority to implement this constitutional mandate with the passage of Republic Act No. 6770, otherwise known as the Ombudsman Act of 1989.
The Office of the Ombudsman is charged with five major functions. These are Public Assistance, Graft Prevention, Investigation, Prosecution and Administrative Adjudication. The framers of the 1987 Constitution defined the role of the Office of the Ombudsman as a watchdog, to monitor the "general and specific performance of government officials and employees." It also serves as a mobilizer, to effectively "utilize the support of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the youth sector and other major sectors of society" in the campaign against graft and corruption.
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