Mantaring named acting NBI director

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officer-in-charge Nestor Mantaring has been formally appointed by President Arroyo as the agency’s acting director.

Regional Director Reynaldo Esmeralda of the NBI-Special Task Force said the President signed Mantaring’s designation last April 19, but it was only last Wednesday that his appointment papers arrived at the Department of Justice and the NBI.

Mantaring was the agency’s officer-in-charge for five months after NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. Doctors declared him dead after 26 days of being in a comatose state.

Officials and employees of the NBI welcomed Mantaring’s appointment.

"The officers, agents and support personnel of the NBI are happy about Mantaring’s appointment as acting NBI director. We are optimistic that he will eventually be given the regular appointment of NBI director," Esmeralda said.

With his promotion, Mantaring may now appoint agents, casuals and contractual employees and give promotions.

While acknowledging that the President has the sole prerogative to name Wycoco’s replacement, majority of the NBI officers and personnel said they prefer their chief to be an "insider."

Esmeralda noted that out of the 16 former NBI directors, three were outsiders: J. Antonio Carpio, now Sen. Alfredo Lim and Wycoco.

He recalled that during the term of former President Fidel Ramos, he named "insiders" to the post, namely Epimaco Velasco, Antonio Aragon, Mariano Mison and Santiago Toledo.

Mantaring, who took the helm of the bureau as officer-in-charge last Nov. 24, rose from among the ranks.

He started his public service career while still a working student and joined the NBI as a casual employee in 1968 until 1971. He pursued law, graduated from the Far Eastern University (FEU) and later passed the Bar.

Mantaring was assigned to different NBI regional offices and was appointed as deputy director for comptroller services in 2001; deputy director for administrative services in 2002; deputy director for special investigation services in 2003; and on December 2004, he became the assistant director.