Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 6770)
The official title is "The Ombudsman Act of 1989."
The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption. Public office is a public trust, and public officers and employees must always be accountable, serve with integrity, loyalty, efficiency, patriotism, justice, and lead modest lives.
The Office of the Ombudsman includes the Office of the Overall Deputy, Deputies for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, the Armed Forces, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The President may appoint other Deputies as needed.
The Ombudsman and Deputies are appointed by the President from a list of nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council. The initial list must have at least twenty-one nominees, and subsequent vacancies must be filled from lists of three nominees, each published in a newspaper of general circulation.
They must be natural-born Filipino citizens, at least 40 years old, members of the Philippine Bar of recognized probity and independence, not candidates in the immediately preceding elections, and the Ombudsman must have at least 10 years as a judge or practicing lawyer in the Philippines.
They serve a term of seven (7) years without reappointment.
The Ombudsman may be removed by impeachment and conviction for culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust.
They shall not hold any other office or employment, cannot practice any other profession or participate in any business, and cannot be financially interested in any government contract or franchise. They shall avoid conflicts of interest, and after their term, cannot run for office immediately or appear before the Office for two years.
It may investigate and prosecute public officers for illegal acts, direct officers to perform or cease certain acts, enforce disciplinary actions, examine government documents, publicize investigations with prudence, administer oaths, issue subpoenas, and recover ill-gotten wealth, among others.
Witnesses must attend and testify; however, no one shall be prosecuted criminally based on compelled testimony. The Ombudsman may grant immunity from criminal prosecution except for perjury or false testimony, and refusals to testify may be punished by contempt.