"Character" is unfortunately a term missing in action these days in the western world so it is not possible to exhume it and paint the PIC with it. If it were otherwise we would not have had the procession of flawed Prime Ministers we have had.
Furthermore, to make your point you would have to compare the PIC character with the ATSB, CASA and his employers "character" as well. None of those are necessarily pretty either.
As for your contention regarding the PICs actions, none of us were there and few of us have even done ditching training anyway. None of us can predict our reactions to such a traumatic event nor our behaviour in the aftermath. I note that "but for' the PICs torch being spotted it is doubtful that there would be any rescue at all.
In any case the treatment of the pilot by CASA must not be a function of his alleged "attitude" - which is part of the problem with CASA.