ROME– It is the last farewell to Gerardo D’Ambrosio, ex-district attorney of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Milan, who died at 83 years old last week end. 

The attorney’s coffin is now exposed in the central entrance hall of Milan’s Courthouse. Magistrates, attorneys, and judges gave their last salute to the judge who is considered to have been a reference point and a symbol in the history of Italian justice. The list of people who paid their respects to Mr. D’Ambrosio includes prosecutors Ilda Boccassini, Francesco Greco, and Maurizio Romanelli. Also politicians such as ex-secretary of PD party Pierluigi Bersani, ex-minister Barbara Pollastrini, and Rosy Bindi.

 Bersani remembers him as a “man of coherence with a particular human sentiment, and a serious and rigorous person.”  He also stated that D’Ambrosio had always been professional, even if at times disappointed by the political world.

 Mr. D’Ambrosio was a protagonist of the 1990’s “Mani pulite” nationwide investigation into corruption within the highest ranks of the political system. The entire campaign raised more than 5000 names, and at a certain point half of the members of the Italian Parliament  were suspects in the case.  

 As stated by prosecutor Antonio di Pietro, “The Mani Pulite case demonstrated that strength comes from being united. Gerardo D’Ambrosio coordinated, encouraged and appreciated hard work.” Di Pietro was also part of the team that worked on those cases. Afterwards he became a member of the European Parliament, Senator and minister in the Prodi Government.

 According to Di Pietro’s narration, every single prosecutor discovered some information relevant to the case, yet none of them could move forward until they united. “Gerardo was a juridical father for me, and a reference point,” said he, adding that if people had paid more attention to his words when he was alive, today, due to his work as a senator and prosecutor, corruption would no longer be present.