By: Chita Heap
It always feels good to meet new friends, but on this occasion I felt especially privileged to make the acquaintance of one of the few Ombudsmen in Panay at the meeting recently held in Dumaguit, Aklan, and to which both Megs Lunn and I were invited in order to discuss moral values.
The Ombudsman is a very rare breed, for they are upholders of the values that we hold so dear, and as such, the guardians of our rights. The work of the Ombudsman is not easy, and strength of character combined with a high moral standard are essential components of the qualities needed to perform this duty.
The work of the Ombudsman requires honesty, integrity, energy, perseverance, clarity, strength, and a keen sense of justice. It also requires courage and the ability to stand firm against those who might seek to divert the outcome of an investigation either by offering inducement or else by making threats. There are amongst us but a few individuals who possess such qualities, which is why I do not hesitate to describe the Ombudsman as a very rare breed.
Our society is currently plagued by corruption, corruption being the biggest impediment to our economic success and to our advancement as a nation. It is due to corruption that the poor remain poor and that our country remains impoverished.
It is our Ombudsmen who offer us hope by taking a stand against those who endeavour to intimidate others, or who seek to divert public funds in order to line their own pockets. As such they deserve our co-operation and our utmost respect.
Just as Wyatt Earp and his brothers, together with Doc Halliday, took a stand against the Clancy brothers at the OK Coral,. so too our Ombudsmen take their stand in the pursuit of justice, and readily go where others fear to tread. We should applaud them for the service they perform and for the effort that they make on our behalf. I for one feel privileged in offering them my full and unwavering support./TE
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