MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said efforts to combat corruption have evolved into a shared national responsibility, stressing that public participation is now crucial in exposing wrongdoing in government.

“The fight against corruption is no longer the burden of one office; it is now the shared duty of an entire nation,” Remulla said during the 2025 National Anti-Corruption Summit held at the Marco Polo Hotel in Pasig City.

He emphasized that the campaign is no longer limited to the government. “This is not government versus corruption – this is government and citizens fighting corruption together. Crowdsourcing is no longer noise; it is now an evidence-gathering tool,” he said.

Remulla also announced that the Office of the Ombudsman will roll out reforms by February next year, focusing on digitalization to strengthen investigations and reduce vulnerabilities in government systems.

“We will implement modernization. Corruption thrives where data is weak and paper trails disappear. That’s why we are building a fully digital database. We integrate our systems, digital forensics, tamper-proof networks, AI (artificial intelligence)-supported verification, and secure investigative workflows,” he said.

He added that the Ombudsman will avoid being used for political purposes. “I tell our people, every day, something must be accomplished. Because corruption wins when the government slows down. Defeat corruption by refusing to waste time,” he said. (PNA)