DOJ looks for ‘suitable replacement’ to lead NBI
Metro Manila, Philippines - The Department of Justice is still finding a “suitable replacement” for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director following the irrevocable resignation of Jaime Santiago.
Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano on Monday, Aug. 18, said that Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Jesse Andres has been recommended as acting NBI director, but the agency forwarded several names to the president.
He said DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla is mulling over Santiago’s replacement, adding the agency needs to find a new head as soon as possible to keep the NBI in its “top form.”
“Hindi naman pwede magkaroon ng gap or interruption ‘yung mga ginagawa natin sa NBI, lalo na po na medyo malawak pa ‘yung ating effort against ‘yung POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operator), lalo na ngayon na naghihigpit na rin tayo sa in-shore na gaming operators,” Clavano said.
[Translation: We cannot leave a gap or have an interruption in the efforts of the NBI against POGO, especially that we are tightening our grip with in-shore gaming operators.]
Clavano said politics should not be blamed in Santiago’s resignation.
“Meron din siyang sariling approach which we saw was very proactive, maraming talagang initiative. Kaso nga lang, you cannot discount the fact na baka meron siyang ginawa na hindi nagustuhan ng mga dati pang nandyan,” Clavano said.
[Translation: He has his own approach which we saw was very proactive. He has a lot of initiatives. But you cannot discount the fact that he may have done something that long-time NBI officials did not like.]
Santiago was appointed NBI director in June 2024. He was a retired judge, former police officer, and lawyer.
Clavano said the DOJ hopes to appoint an NBI director that could continue Santiago’s reforms.
In his Aug. 15 letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Santiago said he took the challenge to “purge the Bureau of scalawags,” according to a report of state-run Philippine News Agency.
“However, detractors and those who have sinister interest in my position incessantly make moves to besmirch my reputation,” he wrote. This was after allegations of him having a “bagman” to supposedly extort money from illegal POGOs and e-sabong operators.
But Clavano said this still does not warrant an investigation unless pieces of evidence will come out to back the allegations.
“Mere allegations and mere statements that are uncorroborated and unsubstantiated cannot be acted on because that will only open the floodgates and it is subject to abuse,” Clavano said.
