Filing a corruption complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman can feel intimidating, especially when the person you are complaining about is a mayor, barangay official, police officer, BIR examiner, procurement officer, school official, or someone inside an agency you still need to deal with. The good news is that Philippine law allows any person to complain to the Ombudsman against a public official or employee for illegal, unjust, improper, inefficient, or corrupt acts. This guide explains what the Ombudsman can handle, what evidence to prepare, how to write and file the complaint, what usually happens after filing, and the common mistakes that cause complaints to be delayed or dismissed.

What the Office of the Ombudsman Does

The Office of the Ombudsman is the independent constitutional body that investigates complaints against government officials and employees. Under Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, the Ombudsman must act promptly on complaints filed “in any form or manner” against public officials or employees, including those in government-owned or controlled corporations. It may investigate on its own or upon complaint by any person when an act appears illegal, unjust, improper, or inefficient. (Lawphil)

In ordinary terms, the Ombudsman handles complaints involving:

Bribery or “lagay”
Kickbacks in procurement or public works
Ghost projects, ghost employees, or fake liquidation documents
Favoring a supplier, contractor, relative, or political ally
Misuse of public funds, vehicles, equipment, or property
Unexplained wealth or suspicious assets
Abuse of authority, oppression, grave misconduct, dishonesty, or neglect of duty
Failure to perform a legal duty, especially when linked to corruption or bad faith

A complaint may lead to criminal liability, administrative liability, or both. Criminal liability can result in prosecution before the Sandiganbayan or regular courts. Administrative liability can result in penalties such as suspension, dismissal from service, forfeiture of benefits, disqualification from public office, reprimand, or fine.

Legal Basis for Filing a Corruption Complaint

The Constitution: public office is a public trust

The starting point is Article XI, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution: public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must be accountable to the people, serve with responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. (Lawphil)

This is not just a slogan. It is the foundation for anti-corruption laws, Ombudsman investigations, administrative discipline, and criminal prosecution.

Republic Act No. 6770, or the Ombudsman Act of 1989

The Ombudsman Act of 1989 gives the Ombudsman broad authority to investigate, prosecute, discipline, and recommend action against public officials and employees. Section 13 states that the Ombudsman must enforce administrative, civil, and criminal liability where the evidence warrants. Section 15 gives the Ombudsman powers such as investigating complaints, directing officials to act, recommending discipline or prosecution, and obtaining government records. (Lawphil)

The law also allows the Ombudsman to prioritize complaints involving high-ranking officials, supervisory officials, grave offenses, or large amounts of money or property. (Lawphil)

Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act punishes corrupt practices by public officers and, in some situations, private persons who participate in the transaction. It covers acts such as requesting or receiving gifts, shares, percentages, or benefits in connection with government contracts or transactions where the public officer has to intervene. It also defines “public officer” broadly to include elective and appointive officials and employees, whether permanent or temporary. (Lawphil)

A common example is a procurement officer, mayor, BAC member, engineer, or inspector who receives a percentage from a contractor in exchange for approval, payment, inspection acceptance, or favorable treatment.

Revised Penal Code: bribery, corruption, and malversation

The Revised Penal Code punishes classic public corruption crimes, including:

Offense	Basic idea
Direct bribery, Article 210	A public officer agrees to perform an act, refrain from doing a duty, or do something connected with official duties in exchange for a gift, promise, offer, or present.
Indirect bribery, Article 211	A public officer accepts gifts offered by reason of the public office.
Corruption of public officials, Article 212	The giver, offeror, or promisor may also be punished.
Malversation, Article 217	An accountable public officer appropriates, misappropriates, consents to the taking of, or negligently allows the loss of public funds or property.

The bribery provisions are found in Articles 210 to 212, while malversation is under Article 217. (Lawphil)

Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards

The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees requires public officials to uphold public interest over personal interest, avoid conflicts of interest, act promptly on public requests, make public documents accessible, avoid undue favors, and lead modest lives. It also prohibits solicitation or acceptance of gifts, gratuities, favors, entertainment, loans, or anything of monetary value in connection with official duties. (Lawphil)

RA 6713 is especially relevant in complaints involving gifts, conflict of interest, relatives favored in transactions, failure to disclose assets, or suspicious Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, commonly called SALNs.

Republic Act No. 7080, or the Plunder Law

For very large corruption schemes, the Plunder Law may apply. Plunder involves a public officer who amasses, accumulates, or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts, with an aggregate value of at least ₱75 million. The law includes kickbacks, misuse of public funds, fraudulent disposition of government assets, and taking undue advantage of official position to enrich oneself. (Lawphil)

Civil Code Article 27: separate damages case

If a public servant refuses or neglects, without just cause, to perform an official duty and someone suffers material or moral loss, Article 27 of the Civil Code allows a separate action for damages and other relief, without prejudice to administrative action. This is not the same as an Ombudsman corruption complaint, but it may be relevant when the misconduct caused personal financial loss. (Lawphil)

Who May File a Complaint

The Ombudsman’s official File a Complaint page states that any person may avail of the service. (Ombudsman)

This means the complainant may be:

A Filipino citizen
A foreigner affected by a Philippine government transaction
A taxpayer or concerned citizen
A losing bidder in a government procurement
A government employee or whistleblower
A business owner asked for a bribe
A resident affected by an anomalous barangay, city, municipal, provincial, or national government project
A private person with documents or firsthand knowledge of the corrupt act

You do not always need to be the direct victim. But your complaint must contain enough facts, documents, or leads for the Ombudsman to evaluate it.

Who Can Be Complained Against

The Ombudsman generally has authority over:

National government officials and employees
Local government officials, including governors, mayors, vice mayors, councilors, barangay officials, and local employees
Police, jail, fire, military, and other law enforcement personnel
Officials and employees of government-owned or controlled corporations
Cabinet members and other high-ranking executive officials
Private individuals, corporations, suppliers, contractors, or consultants who allegedly conspired with public officials

There are limits. Under RA 6770, the Ombudsman’s administrative disciplinary authority does not cover officials removable only by impeachment, Members of Congress, and the Judiciary. However, the Ombudsman may investigate serious misconduct by impeachable officials for purposes allowed by law, including the possible filing of a verified impeachment complaint, where warranted. (Lawphil)

For court judges and judiciary employees, complaints are usually handled through the Supreme Court. For purely private disputes with no public official involved, the Ombudsman is usually not the proper forum.

Criminal, Administrative, Forfeiture, or Request for Assistance?

A single incident may fall into more than one category.

Type of matter	What it focuses on	Example
Criminal complaint	Whether a crime was committed	Bribery, graft, malversation, plunder, falsification
Administrative complaint	Whether the public officer violated service rules or ethical standards	Grave misconduct, dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, oppression
Forfeiture case	Recovery of unlawfully acquired wealth	Assets far beyond lawful income
Request for Assistance	Help or intervention where the issue may not yet be a full criminal or administrative charge	Agency refuses to act on a legal duty, documents withheld, unexplained delay

When drafting, you do not need to perfectly label every legal offense. What matters most is that your complaint clearly states the facts, identifies the public official, attaches evidence, and explains why the act appears corrupt, illegal, unjust, improper, or inefficient.

Documents Needed to File a Complaint

The Ombudsman’s current filing requirements include the following: (Ombudsman)

Requirement	Number of copies
Verified Complaint-Affidavit	Number of named respondents plus 4 additional copies; at least 2 originally signed complaint-affidavits
Supporting documents and evidence, if applicable	Number of named respondents plus 4 additional copies
Verified Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping	At least 2 original copies
Other written complaint, if not in affidavit form	At least 2 copies

A verified complaint-affidavit is a sworn written statement. “Verified” means you swear that the facts are true based on your personal knowledge or authentic records. The complaint-affidavit should be signed before a notary public or another officer authorized to administer oaths.

A Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping is a sworn statement that you have not filed the same case involving the same issues in another court, tribunal, or agency, or that you will inform the Ombudsman if you later learn of a similar pending case. This helps prevent multiple proceedings over the same matter.

Evidence That Usually Helps an Ombudsman Complaint

The Ombudsman does not require you to prove the entire case before filing, but a complaint with specific evidence is much stronger than a complaint based only on anger, suspicion, or rumors.

Useful evidence may include:

Official receipts, invoices, checks, disbursement vouchers, payrolls, purchase orders, notices of award, contracts, inspection reports, accomplishment reports, or liquidation documents
Screenshots of messages asking for money, but with the sender, date, number, account, and context visible
Photos or videos of defective, unfinished, ghost, or substandard projects
COA audit reports, Notices of Disallowance, Annual Audit Reports, or Audit Observation Memoranda
Bidding documents from PhilGEPS, BAC records, bid abstracts, and post-qualification reports
Bank deposit slips, e-wallet transfer receipts, remittance records, or payment instructions
Copies of permits, applications, letters, emails, and follow-up requests showing delay or extortion
Witness affidavits from people who directly saw, heard, paid, processed, inspected, or approved the transaction
SALN-related documents or public records showing suspicious assets, businesses, or conflicts of interest

For procurement and infrastructure cases, organize the evidence around the project: project name, location, approved budget, contractor, contract date, implementation period, actual work done, payments released, and what makes the transaction suspicious.

Step-by-Step Guide to Filing a Corruption Complaint

1. Identify the public official and the government office

Start with the basics:

Full name of the public official or employee
Position or job title
Government office or agency
Office address, if known
Email address or contact details, if known
Role in the corrupt act

If you do not know the full name, provide the best identifiers available: office, designation, badge number, transaction number, project name, date, location, and names of people who can identify the person.

2. Write a clear timeline of events

Before drafting the complaint-affidavit, prepare a simple chronology:

When did the transaction start?
What government service, permit, project, inspection, payment, or contract was involved?
Who asked for money, favor, percentage, gift, or benefit?
What exactly was said or done?
Where did it happen?
Who witnessed it?
What documents prove it?
What happened after you refused, paid, reported, or followed up?

Avoid broad statements like “corrupt siya” or “everyone knows may kickback.” Instead, state specific facts: “On 15 March 2026, at the municipal engineering office, Engineer X told me that my occupancy permit would not be released unless I paid ₱20,000. He wrote the GCash number on a yellow sticky note attached as Annex B.”

3. Draft the verified complaint-affidavit

A practical complaint-affidavit usually contains:

The office addressed: Office of the Ombudsman
Names of complainant and respondent
Your address, email, and contact details
The respondent’s position and office
A numbered statement of facts
A list of witnesses
A list of documents or annexes
The laws or offenses involved, if known
The action requested from the Ombudsman
Verification and signature
Jurat or notarial portion

Use numbered paragraphs. Keep each paragraph to one fact or event. Attach documents as Annex “A,” “B,” “C,” and so on, and refer to them in the body.

4. Attach supporting affidavits and documents

If there are witnesses, ask them to execute their own sworn affidavits. A witness affidavit is stronger when it states:

How the witness knows the parties
Where the witness was
What the witness personally saw, heard, paid, delivered, prepared, or received
Dates, amounts, names, and documents
That the statement is based on personal knowledge

Do not attach altered screenshots or incomplete message threads if the missing parts change the context. If the evidence is digital, preserve the original device, account, metadata, transaction reference number, and backup copies.

5. Prepare the required copies

Follow the copy rule carefully: number of named respondents plus 4 additional copies for the verified complaint-affidavit and supporting evidence, with at least 2 originally signed complaint-affidavits. Also prepare at least 2 original copies of the verified Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping. (Ombudsman)

If there are 3 respondents, prepare at least 7 sets of the complaint and annexes. Label each set clearly.

6. File with the proper Ombudsman office

You may file through the appropriate Ombudsman office, depending on the official, agency, and location involved. The Ombudsman’s official contact page lists the Central Office in Quezon City, sectoral offices for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor. (Ombudsman)

The Ombudsman Central Office is at Sen. Miriam P. Defensor-Santiago Avenue, Brgy. Bagong Pag-asa, Diliman, Quezon City. The official website also lists the Public Assistance Bureau email as pab@ombudsman.gov.ph and the central trunkline as (+632) 5317-8300. (Ombudsman)

For practical purposes, file where the complaint will most likely be handled:

Case location or respondent	Practical filing point
National agency or central office official	Ombudsman Central Office
Luzon local official or regional/national employee based in Luzon	Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon
Visayas official or employee	Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas
Mindanao official or employee	Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao
Police, military, jail, fire, or law enforcement personnel	Ombudsman office handling military and law enforcement matters
Sandiganbayan-level prosecution stage	Office of the Special Prosecutor handles prosecution after Ombudsman action

When filing in person, bring a receiving copy and ask that it be stamped received. Keep the receiving copy, courier proof, registry receipt, email acknowledgment, or docket information.

7. Keep your contact details active

The Ombudsman may send notices, orders, or requests for clarification. If you change email, address, or phone number, inform the office handling the case. A strong complaint can still be delayed if the complainant cannot be reached.

What Happens After Filing

Under the Ombudsman’s 2026 Revised Rules of Procedure, complaints are evaluated and classified. Possible actions include referral to another office, treatment as a request for assistance, fact-finding investigation, docketing as a criminal, administrative, or forfeiture case, or outright dismissal when grounds exist. (Ombudsman)

Initial evaluation

The Ombudsman checks whether the complaint has enough facts, whether the respondent is within its jurisdiction, whether the matter is better handled by another agency, and whether the complaint appears frivolous, stale, or unsupported.

Fact-finding investigation

Fact-finding is used when the complaint has leads but more documents or verification are needed before a full case is docketed. The 2026 revised rules shortened the fact-finding period to 60 days for simple cases and 90 days for complex cases, according to reports on Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2026. (Manila Bulletin)

In real life, complex corruption cases may still take longer overall because investigators may need records from agencies, COA documents, procurement files, bank or corporate records, technical inspections, and witness interviews.

Preliminary investigation for criminal cases

If the complaint is treated as a criminal case, the Ombudsman may conduct preliminary investigation. This determines whether there is probable cause to charge the respondent in court. The respondent may be required to submit a counter-affidavit. The complainant may be asked to reply or clarify. If probable cause is found, an Information may be filed with the Sandiganbayan or the proper court.

Administrative adjudication

For administrative charges, the Ombudsman determines whether the public officer committed misconduct, dishonesty, neglect, oppression, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, or other administrative offenses.

Ombudsman administrative decisions can be immediately executory in appropriate cases, meaning the penalty may be implemented even while an appeal is pending. The Supreme Court has recognized that an Ombudsman decision imposing suspension may be immediately executory and not automatically stayed by an appeal. (Supreme Court E-Library)

Preventive suspension

The Ombudsman may order preventive suspension while an administrative investigation is pending if the evidence of guilt is strong and the charge involves dishonesty, oppression, grave misconduct, gross neglect, a penalty that may warrant removal, or the respondent’s continued stay in office may prejudice the case. Under RA 6770, preventive suspension generally cannot exceed six months without pay, except when delay is attributable to the respondent. (Lawphil)

Preventive suspension is not yet a finding of guilt. It is a temporary measure to protect the investigation.

Can You File an Anonymous Complaint?

Yes, but anonymous complaints are treated carefully. The 2026 revised rules state that a complaint that does not disclose the complainant’s identity will be acted upon only if it merits appropriate consideration or contains sufficient leads or particulars for further action. An anonymous complainant should not expect to receive notice of the action taken. (Ombudsman)

If safety is a serious concern, an anonymous complaint with strong documents is better than no complaint at all. But if you are a key witness and the case depends on your personal testimony, remaining anonymous may limit what the Ombudsman can do.

Filing From Abroad or as a Foreigner

Foreigners may file because the Ombudsman’s complaint service is available to any person. This can matter for expats, foreign investors, foreign spouses, retirees, students, missionaries, or overseas companies dealing with Philippine permits, immigration, taxation, land use, customs, procurement, or local government transactions. (Ombudsman)

Practical points for complainants abroad:

Use your passport or foreign government ID in the affidavit.
Include your email address and overseas mailing address.
If signing in the Philippines, sign before a Philippine notary public.
If signing abroad, use a Philippine Embassy or Consulate notarial service where available, or have the document notarized locally and authenticated/apostilled if required.
Philippine embassies and consulates can notarize private documents such as affidavits for use in the Philippines, and personal appearance is usually required. (Philippine Embassy)
If your supporting documents are in a foreign language, attach an English translation.

For foreign documents, authentication rules depend on where the document was issued and whether the country is part of the Apostille Convention. The DFA’s Apostille system applies to Philippine public documents for use abroad, while documents executed abroad for use in the Philippines may need local notarization and apostille or consular notarization, depending on the country and document type. (Apostille.gov.ph)

Common Mistakes That Weaken Ombudsman Complaints

Filing a complaint based only on suspicion

The Ombudsman can investigate leads, but a complaint is much stronger when it states specific facts and attaches documents. “The project is overpriced” is weaker than “The contract price was ₱9.8 million for a covered court, but the attached photos show only posts and roofing were installed, and the attached COA report flagged the same project as incomplete.”

Naming the wrong respondent

Do not name every official in the agency unless you can explain their participation. Identify who requested the bribe, approved the contract, signed the voucher, certified completion, released payment, prepared false documents, or benefited from the transaction.

Confusing corruption with poor service

Slow or rude service is not always corruption. If the problem is delay, start by checking the agency’s Citizen’s Charter and RA 11032 on ease of doing business and efficient government service. If there is a demand for money, deliberate refusal to act, favoritism, falsification, or bad faith, the matter becomes more serious.

Ignoring prescription and timing

For administrative complaints, RA 6770 allows the Ombudsman to decline investigation in certain cases, including where the complaint was filed after one year from the occurrence of the act or omission complained of. (Lawphil)

That one-year rule does not automatically erase criminal liability. Criminal cases have their own prescriptive periods. For example, plunder prescribes in 20 years, and the State’s right to recover unlawfully acquired property is not barred by prescription, laches, or estoppel. (Lawphil)

File as soon as you have enough facts and documents. Delay can make witnesses harder to find and records harder to secure.

Paying a bribe and hiding your role

If you paid money to a public official, be truthful. The giver can also face legal exposure under corruption-related laws, especially under Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code for corruption of public officials. (Lawphil)

There may be situations where a person who paid under pressure becomes a complainant or witness, but the facts must be handled carefully and honestly. Do not invent a version that hides your participation; false sworn statements can create separate criminal liability.

Posting everything online before filing

Public posting may pressure an office, but it can also alert respondents, cause deletion of evidence, expose you to defamation counterclaims, or make witnesses reluctant. Preserve evidence first. File a proper complaint with annexes. If you discuss the issue publicly, stick to verifiable facts and avoid unnecessary personal attacks.

Forgetting the Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping

For formal complaints, prepare the verified Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping. Missing sworn requirements can delay docketing or cause the office to require correction.

Sample Structure of a Complaint-Affidavit

A simple structure may look like this:

Personal information of complainant State your name, age, nationality, address, email, and contact number.
Identity of respondent State the official’s name, position, office, and address, if known.
Nature of the complaint Example: “This complaint concerns a demand for ₱50,000 in exchange for the release of a business permit.”
Facts in chronological order Use numbered paragraphs. Include dates, places, names, exact words, and amounts.
Evidence and witnesses Refer to each document as an annex.
Legal basis, if known Mention possible violations such as RA 3019, RA 6713, Articles 210 or 217 of the Revised Penal Code, grave misconduct, dishonesty, or conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Relief requested Ask the Ombudsman to investigate, require the respondent to answer, issue subpoenas for records, conduct fact-finding, file criminal or administrative charges if warranted, and consider preventive suspension if legally justified.
Verification and oath Sign before a notary public or authorized officer.

Practical Timeline

Stage	Usual practical expectation
Preparation of complaint and annexes	A few days to several weeks, depending on evidence
Filing and receiving	Ombudsman website lists filing duration as 20 minutes for the frontline filing service
Initial evaluation	Varies depending on workload, completeness, and complexity
Fact-finding	Under 2026 rules, generally 60 days for simple cases and 90 days for complex cases
Preliminary investigation or administrative adjudication	Often several months or longer in complex cases
Court prosecution, if filed	Can take years, especially for technical graft, procurement, or plunder cases

The filing step is short; the investigation is where time is usually spent. Corruption cases often require records from several offices, technical evaluation, audit findings, and sworn statements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I file an Ombudsman complaint without a lawyer?

Yes. A lawyer is not required to file a complaint. The Ombudsman allows any person to file, and the official requirements focus on the verified complaint-affidavit, supporting documents, and Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping. For complex graft, procurement, plunder, or whistleblower cases, careful legal drafting helps, but the most important starting point is still a clear sworn statement supported by documents.

Is there a filing fee for an Ombudsman corruption complaint?

The Ombudsman does not list a filing fee on its current File a Complaint requirements page. Practical costs usually come from notarization, photocopying, printing, document certification, courier expenses, and preparing annexes. Always verify current frontline requirements with the Ombudsman office where you will file. (Ombudsman)

What if I only have screenshots?

Screenshots can help, but preserve the original source. Keep the phone, account, chat thread, email headers, transaction reference numbers, and payment records. A screenshot is stronger when it clearly shows the sender, number or account, date, time, full conversation context, and link to the government transaction.

Can I complain against a barangay captain or barangay official?

Yes, barangay officials are public officials. Complaints involving bribery, misuse of barangay funds, ghost projects, false liquidation, abuse of authority, or grave misconduct may be filed with the Ombudsman. Depending on the facts, there may also be remedies through the city or municipal government, DILG, COA, or regular courts.

Can I file against a private contractor?

Yes, if the private contractor allegedly conspired with a public official or participated in the corrupt transaction. RA 6770 allows the Ombudsman to proceed against private persons in conspiracy with public officers where the evidence warrants. (Lawphil)

What happens if the Ombudsman dismisses my complaint?

A dismissal may happen if the complaint lacks merit, is outside Ombudsman jurisdiction, has an adequate remedy elsewhere, is frivolous, has insufficient personal interest for an administrative grievance, or was filed too late for the type of complaint involved. Depending on the nature of the dismissal, the rules may allow a motion for reconsideration or other remedies within strict periods. Read the order carefully and count deadlines from receipt.

Can the Ombudsman immediately suspend the official I complained about?

Not automatically. Preventive suspension requires legal grounds, including strong evidence of guilt and circumstances such as dishonesty, oppression, grave misconduct, gross neglect, possible removal from service, or risk that the respondent’s continued stay in office may prejudice the case. It is temporary and generally limited to six months without pay. (Lawphil)

Can I file if I am overseas?

Yes. Prepare a sworn complaint-affidavit, attach evidence, include active contact details, and comply with notarization or consular requirements. Philippine embassies and consulates can notarize affidavits and similar private documents for use in the Philippines, usually with personal appearance. (Philippine Embassy)

Can I file the same complaint with COA, CSC, DILG, ARTA, or the regular prosecutor?

Sometimes agencies have concurrent or different roles. COA handles audit findings; CSC handles many civil service disciplinary matters; DILG may act on local governance issues; ARTA handles red tape and service delivery issues; prosecutors handle crimes outside Ombudsman jurisdiction. But do not file multiple cases carelessly. Your Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping must disclose related filings, and repeated or duplicative filings can hurt your credibility.

Will the respondent know I filed?

In a formal case, the respondent will usually be required to answer and will learn about the complaint. If you submit an anonymous complaint, the Ombudsman may act only if it contains sufficient leads, but you generally will not receive updates. For safety-sensitive cases, focus on preserving documents, identifying independent records, and avoiding unnecessary public exposure.

Key Takeaways

Any person, including a foreigner, may file a corruption complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman.
The strongest complaints are specific, chronological, sworn, and supported by documents or witness affidavits.
Key legal bases include the 1987 Constitution, RA 6770, RA 3019, RA 6713, the Revised Penal Code, and RA 7080 for plunder.
The usual formal requirements are a verified complaint-affidavit, supporting evidence, and a verified Certificate of Non-Forum Shopping.
Prepare the required number of copies: named respondents plus 4 additional sets for the complaint and annexes, with at least 2 originally signed complaint-affidavits.
The Ombudsman may dismiss, refer, treat as a request for assistance, conduct fact-finding, docket a criminal or administrative case, or file charges in court if warranted.
Anonymous complaints may be acted upon only if they contain sufficient leads or particulars.
File early, preserve original evidence, avoid exaggeration, and disclose related cases honestly.