The conclusion of the Judicial and Bar Council’s public interviews for Ombudsman underscores a disturbing truth: every applicant recognizes that the Tanodbayan’s office has long been weaponized. When even Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla—himself a deeply political figure—admits that “too much politics” taints the Ombudsman, we are staring at an institution hollowed out by partisan manipulation..

The Ombudsman is supposed to be the people’s shield against corruption. Instead, it has too often become a sword wielded selectively—blunt against allies, sharp against rivals. That some applicants now vow “independence” only highlights how little of it remains. Promises are easy; genuine impartiality is rare. Senator Imee Marcos’s immediate objection to Remulla’s candidacy illustrates precisely the toxic political entanglements the office must break free from.

How can the public trust the Ombudsman if its very selection process is reduced to partisan bickering?Applicants speak of transparency, lifestyle checks, and opening access to Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs). These are necessary reforms, but let us be clear: they are meaningless if the Ombudsman remains a captive of political masters.

The mandate is singular: to uphold the law, regardless of who trembles. To falter is to condemn the office to irrelevance, leaving corruption unpunished and the public unprotected. he people do not need another politician cloaked in judicial robes. They need a watchdog unafraid to bite. Anything less is betrayal.