De Lima to name 2 new NBI execs

MANILA, Philippines - At least two deputy directors will be named next week in a major revamp at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday.

She said one of them would replace Rickson Chiong who, retired recently as NBI deputy director for technical services.

Another one or two will take the place of those who would be removed from their posts due to “trust issues,” De Lima said.

“I was just actually waiting for the lapse of the period on the appointment ban of the Comelec (Commission on Elections). After that, I am prepared to do some action,” she said.

The justice secretary refused to name the affected NBI officials and their replacements.

De Lima stressed that since the deputy directors did not heed her call for them to file courtesy resignation amid allegations of anomalies, she would find a way to remove them from the bureau.

She said that NBI deputy directors do not have security of tenure since they are presidential appointees.

At present, the remaining deputy directors are Reynaldo Esmeralda (intelligence service), Ruel Lasala (special investigation services), Virgilio Mendez (regional operation services), Rafael Ragos (comptroller services) and Edmundo Arugay (administrative services).

Ragos is the only deputy director appointed in President Aquino’s term.

The four others, who all rose from the ranks, have been asked to resign by De Lima. Only Arugay quit.

Arugay has been designated temporary head of the bureau while officer-in-charge Medardo Delemos is on an official trip.

De Lima had called on six NBI deputy directors to resign amid reports that ranking officials of the bureau tipped off Napoles on the issuance of a warrant for her arrest on Aug. 14.