The next Ombudsman should be chosen based on integrity, intelligence and insight—three qualities vital in detecting corruption at its earliest stages, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said.

Speaking with reporters after the August 28 interview of the first batch of Ombudsman applicants, whose screening runs until September 2, Cayetano emphasized the importance of these traits in the country’s top anti-graft watchdog.

“Y’ung integrity kasi, kahit anong talino mo, kung corrupt ka o hindi ka mapagkakatiwalaan, bale-wala (Because integrity, no matter how smart you are, if you're corrupt or untrustworthy, it won’t matter),” said Cayetano, the Senate’s representative in the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

“Ngayon, kung may integrity at honest ka, pero mas matalino sa ’yo lahat ng corrupt, wala rin mangyayari (Now, if you have integrity and are honest, but all the corrupt people are smarter than you, nothing will happen),” said the chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

The senator further said having insight is also one of the “best-kept” secret quality as he cites the current fiasco in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Cayetano also noted that the Ombudsman must be able to keep up with the way information spreads instantly in today’s digital world.

“Iba na y’ung age ngayon na instant ang news. Most of you now naka-cellphone na rather than those na naka-big cameras. Some of you, naka-post o naka-live na agad. So, kailangan up-to-date y’ung bagong Ombudsman sa mga bagong sistema na ganyan (It's a different age now that news is instant. Most of you now have cellphones rather than those with big cameras. Some of you, you post or go live right away. So, the new Ombudsman needs to be up-to-date with new systems like that),” he said.

Moreover, Cayetano said the next Ombudsman should view the office not as a prize but a responsibility.

“Ang power ay ibinibigay (power is given) for God’s purpose, not for you. It’s not a reward. It’s a tool for you to get something done. And, usually, that something is a problem that you can solve,” he said.

Cayetano called for vigilance in the selection process, saying the country’s history of inefficiency, nepotism, and corruption makes it vital to choose wisely.

“It is very important that we choose the right Ombudsman. Given what is happening now in the DPWH, given what is perennially happening in various departments, having a very proactive but balanced Ombudsman will really change so much,” the lawmaker stressed.