‘Director Santiago returns to the NBI at a time when information technology and its newest derivative, artificial intelligence, are being used by criminal syndicates using the internet.’
THE appointment of a new chief of any agency serves as an opportunity to start a renewal, to identify problems besetting the organization, and to welcome ideas as to possible solutions. There is also the additional task of rallying all personnel towards achieving the mission or the organization’s reason for being. If it is a government agency, then the responsibility of rendering public service is of prime importance, and so the new leadership is expected to stress this mandate.
These are the very challenges that newly appointed chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Director Jaime Santiago, is facing. Taking over from Medardo de Lemos during turnover ceremonies at the temporary NBI headquarters in Quezon City the other day, Santiago vowed to bring back the glory and prestige of the agency as the country’s foremost investigation unit.
De Lemos was supposed to retire last year but his stint was extended for a year by Malacañang.
About this glory and prestige thing, the NBI enjoyed some measure of respectability and good reputation a couple of decades ago. This was mainly because the NBI then was seldom involved in shenanigans and abuse of power, and its agents were careful not to violate the law. It also helped that NBI personnel were mostly lawyers, CPAs and similarly academically prepared with the right civil service eligibility. Perhaps this is the kind of NBI environment that Director Santiago would like to have today.
“We will bring back the prestige, we will bring back the glory of the NBI. If that will happen in my time, then I am ready to die content and happy,” Santiago said.
Director Santiago has a multifaceted career in government, to be capped by this assignment in the NBI. His exploits as a sharpshooter of the Manila Police District Special Weapons and Tactics team were made into a movie in the 1990s. Santiago also became a lawyer and eventually a judge at the Manila and Tagaytay regional trial courts.
Santiago said his appointment as the new NBI director was the culmination of his life-long dream, a dream that he said he was not able to pursue in his younger years as he instead joined the police force. He said he first worked at the NBI as a records checker from 1977 to 1979 but did not become a regular employee.
“I love the NBI. I will not fail you; we will bring back the glory days and we will endeavor to bring the NBI closer to the people,” Santiago said, adding he needs the help of everybody in the bureau.
Going down to brass tacks, Director Santiago said he would prioritize faster processing of NBI clearances and go after scammers and cybercrime syndicates. He added these will help the public trust the agency.
“We will improve our clearance system. I will work with Congress for the digitization of our clearance system,” he said, adding he has been ordered by President Marcos Jr. to go after cybercrime syndicates.
The new director also warned his subordinates he would not tolerate corruption or mediocrity. He also promised to look after the welfare of the men and women of the NBI.
“There will be a reward system. To those who are good at doing their jobs, we will empty our intelligence fund for the reward system,” he said.
Director Santiago returns to the NBI at a time when information technology and its newest derivative, artificial intelligence, are being used by criminal syndicates using the internet. Cybercriminals have the potential to take down or hold hostage websites of whole businesses, corporations and government agencies. This is a huge challenge to the new NBI director.
