Palace names 2 top NBI officials to same post

Two heads are not always better than one, at least not in the case of the assistant directorship of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) where two top officials found themselves appointed to the same post by Malacañang.

NBI Special Investigation Service (SIS) Deputy Director Lolito Utitco is scheduled to take his oath before Justice Secretary Hernando Perez today, barely 24 hours before acting NBI assistant director Fermin Nasol takes his before President Arroyo Tuesday.

"I do not know where he (Nasol) got his appointment. I have not seen his papers," Utitco told The STAR when reached over the phone yesterday. Utitco said he received his appointment papers last Thursday from Malacañang.

But Nasol presented yesterday a copy of his own appointment dated Sept. 9, 2002, although he received it only two weeks ago. Nasol also presented an Oct. 2 letter from the Office of the President setting his oath-taking tomorrow at 2 p.m.

Nasol, 62, is a certified public accountant who joined the NBI in 1967, while his kumpadre Utitco, 63, is a lawyer who joined the agency in 1966.

"It has been known for weeks at the NBI that I got the appointment. I do not know how this happened," a visibly depressed Nasol, who has been acting NBI director whenever Director Reynaldo Wycoco was abroad, said.

Sources revealed that former President Fidel Ramos and Sen. Robert Barbers are backing Nasol while Utitco’s staunch supporters are Perez and Wycoco.

"Actually, Director Wycoco endorsed both Nasol and Utitco for the position but in reality he was behind Utitco," an informant said.

But while Utitco is a year more senior than Nasol, the latter appeared to have overtaken Utitco in the promotion ladder. Nasol headed the SIS before being appointed as acting NBI assistant director.

"If Utitco is appointed (assistant director), Nasol goes back to being head of SIS," said the informant.

Nasol emerged into top brass position during the administration of Ramos, while Utitco’s career began to take off again during the brief Estrada administration. Utitco’s wife is reportedly an ex-classmate of former first lady Sen. Loi Ejercito.

Both Nasol and Utitco, however, said there was never really any running rivalry between them until the present merry mix-up.

Both were deputy directors at the time of former NBI Directors Santiago Toledo and Federico Opinion and were among the perennial top "career official" candidates. Toledo and Opinion both died before their retirement.

Nasol was later seen to have gained the upperhand against Utitco when he assumed the SIS leadership, a position traditionally treated as a springboard to the NBI directorship.

And when Assistant Director Diego Gutierrez died late last year, Nasol ascended to the number two post at the NBI.

Nasol and Utitco share the distinction of being part of the team, headed by former NBI Director Epimaco Velasco, that gunned down then public enemy number one "Nardong Putik" in 1971.

Utitco said he and Nasol are kumpares, having both stood as godparents of a child of another NBI agent long ago.