NBI insider installed as director

MANILA, Philippines - An insider who rose from the ranks has been appointed director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Deputy Director Virgilio Mendez took his oath before Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as the new NBI chief, replacing Nonnatus Caesar Rojas, who resigned from his post four months ago at the height of the agency’s investigation into the pork barrel scam. 

The appointment of Mendez coincided with the 36th anniversary of his entry to the bureau as an agent on Jan. 16, 1978.

“This is not an easy job but I will give everything that I have,” he told reporters.

Prior to his appointment as NBI chief, Mendez served as the agency’s deputy director for regional operations services (DDROS) since 2011.

In recommending Mendez to President Aquino, De Lima cited his “long, dedicated and competent service in the bureau.”

Among the high-profile cases that Mendez had personally supervised were the Kristelle “Kae” Devantes case, the Cagayan de Oro bombing in July 2013, the shooting to death of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine Coast Guard personnel off Batanes, the Lahad Datu/Sabah standoff, the Atimonan shooting incident, the P12-billion investment scam, and the closure of illegal mining site in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur.

Mendez was also principally responsible for the filing of charges against suspects in the Rizal Day LRT bombing in 2000.

Currently, Mendez is involved in the investigation into alleged rice smuggling activities, including the identification of David Tan, an alleged big-time rice smuggler.

He was the third NBI chief appointed by President Aquino and the first drawn from the ranks under the administration.

The last insider appointed to the top NBI post was Nestor Mantaring, who served from 2005 to 2010.

“It is perhaps time to once again hail somebody from the NBI ranks. Besides the obvious experience that an insider will bring to the NBI leadership, it will also serve as a considerable morale booster for those serving in the NBI,” the DOJ chief stressed.

“We hope that the appointment of one who rose from the ranks, like Director Mendez who started out as Agent I, will have a ripple effect that would boost the performance of the rest of the bureau,” she added.

His colleagues in the NBI welcomed Mendez’s appointment. The other deputy directors showed their support by attending his oath-taking.

Deputy Director for Intelligence Service Reynaldo Esmeralda said Mendez was an “excellent choice.”

“He was a well-rounded officer who spent his best years in the service on field assignments in Mindanao. Being the most senior in the directorial staff, he deserved the appointment and he has my full support and cooperation,” Esmeralda said.

The 61-year-old Mendez, a native of Tagbilaran City in Bohol, obtained his law degree at the Divine Word College. He passed the Bar with an average of 81.55 percent.

From a mere agent assigned in Zamboanga City, Mendez was promoted NBI regional director for Region X in 2004 before being named deputy director for comptroller services from 2007 to 2009 and deputy director for administrative services from 2009 to 2011.   

Answered prayer

Mendez said his appointment was an “answered prayer.”

“(My prayers) were heard. It came true. I asked God na kung sakali ako ang gusto niyang mauupo (if He wants me for the job), please make it on the same date that I joined the bureau,” Mendez said.

He was a 26-year-old fresh law graduate who never thought of joining the organization.

“I was a poor boy from the province and struggled to go to school. I never thought I’d join the bureau. I never even thought I’d become a lawyer,” he said.

“My destiny brought me here,” he added.

Mendez is widely known in the bureau as the most trusted deputy director of De Lima.

As NBI chief, Mendez aims to further improve the bureau’s image “in line with the thrust of the President.”

“The agenda is to make the bureau a trusted and respected bureau in the government through daang matuwid (straight path). We will fight corruption, the syndicated and organized crimes,” he said.

He also said he wanted to maintain an open-door policy for his men and bureau employees as well as for anyone wishing to seek help or share relevant information. “Anyone is welcome to visit me anytime,” he said.

“This is my comfort zone,” he said, referring to his office. “Hindi ito tungkol sa malas o suerte (It’s not about bad luck or good luck). I’m comfortable here because there are less protocols,” he said.

Based on a superstition – told both in jest and trepidation – the fifth floor office of the NBI chief is jinxed, which reportedly explains why some of its occupants were unable to finish their term. The stint of the last two NBI directors – Magtanggol Gatdula and Rojas – ended after 18 months.