Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales outlined the gains of the Office of the Ombudsman in its mandate to investigate and prosecute corruption cases at the Symposium on Best Practices on Anti-Corruption held at the Monét Room of the Novotel Manila in Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City on July 28, 2017.
Speaking before an audience composed of officials of other government offices, international development partners, and members of civil society and non-government organizations, Ombudsman Morales stressed that anti-corruption efforts “have catalyzed two things: first, the public has become much more aware of how corruption permeates and potentially breeds in society; and second, awareness on the large scale effect of corruption has brought people from different groups to take a proactive role in the integrity campaign by equipping themselves with vital information and seeking platforms to collaborate with government.” In the local context, the Ombudsman said that “these reactions have prompted the Office to continuously promote its work despite trying times.”
Co-organized by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) with the Office of the Ombudsman, the symposium draws on the success of anti-corruption efforts around the world. “The Office makes sure that its program and projects are guided by both national and international frameworks on good governance and anti-corruption, such as the Philippine Development Plan and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption or UNCAC,” emphasized Ombudsman Morales who led the panel of discussants which included Ted Hill of IDLO (The Ombudsman and Anti-Corruption in the International Context), David Bragnon of the Department of Justice of the United States of America (International Models of Corruption and Prosecution of Public Sector Corruption), Sandiganbayan Justice Efren dela Cruz (Court Approaches in Addressing High-Level Corruption), Rea Chiongson of IDLO (The Link Between Gender and Anti-Corruption) and Vergel Santos of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (Perceptions by the Media and the Public).
The symposium also served as the culminating activity for the series of trainings which zeroed-in on enhancing the capacity of Ombudsman lawyers in case analysis and legal writing. ###