De Lima rejects NBI exec’s resignation?

MANILA, Philippines - National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Director for Administrative Services Edmundo Arugay apparently still enjoys the trust and confidence of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

Arugay was designated last week as officer-in-charge of the bureau while acting director Medardo Delemos is on an official trip.

Last September, only Arugay responded to De Lima’s challenge for top NBI officials to tender their courtesy resignation amid insinuations that some of them have links to alleged pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles and had been involved in several alleged anomalies.

An insider provided The STAR a copy of a special order designating Arugay as a caretaker of the bureau while Delemos is out of the country attending the annual Interpol General Assembly in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

Arugay, an official who rose from the ranks during his 20 years with the NBI, will serve as OIC from “Oct. 19, 2013 until the return of the undersigned (Delemos) from his official travel abroad,” according to the document.

“The designation could mean his (Arugay’s) courtesy resignation has been denied,” the source explained.

De Lima had called on six deputy directors of NBI last September to resign from their posts in the wake of reports that ranking officials of the NBI tipped off Napoles on the impending issuance of a warrant for her arrest on Aug. 14, effectively aiding her in evading arrest.

The six deputy directors of the NBI who were called upon to resign were Arugay, Rickson Chiong (technical services), Reynaldo Esmeralda (intelligence service), Ruel Lasala (special investigation services), Virgilio Mendez (regional operation services), and Rafael Ragos (comptroller services).

Arugay’s resignation came a day after NBI director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas stepped down from his post out of delicadeza after President Aquino cast doubt on the bureau’s integrity.

But before resigning, Arugay stressed that he never met Napoles prior to the ongoing NBI investigation on the alleged misuse of the multi-billion peso Priority Development Assistance Fund of legislators.

He added that he was neither a part of the NBI team investigating the P10-billion pork barrel scam nor part of the group assigned to go after Napoles immediately after Judge Elmo Alameda of the Makati City Regional Trial Court issued the warrant of arrest against the businesswoman and her brother, Reynald Lim, in connection with the serious illegal detention case against them.

Since then, De Lima has remained silent on her decision regarding Arugay’s resignation.