A top official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been relieved amid an ongoing probe regarding an alleged “anomalous operation” in Manila.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday confirmed that he approved the recommendation of NBI OIC-Director Eric Distor to relieve NBI-Cybercrime Investigation and Assessment Center head Vic Lorenzo.
Guevarra, commenting on the recommendation, said “this, I believe, is standard operating procedure whenever any NBI official or agent is under investigation by the internal affairs division in order to preserve the evidence and preclude any undue influence during the investigation.”
Guevarra, in a GMA News report, further said the operation was about “the serving of a warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data in an establishment in Manila on May 31 where alleged irregularities were observed.”
“No further details could be given at this time, as the matter is being investigated by the internal affairs division of the NBI. We just want to make sure that similar operations in the future will be conducted in a most professional way,” he said in the report.
In a statement, Distor ordered the relief of Lorenzo, as well as ordered the review of the existing cybercrime and other operational guidelines and procedures to have a more organized standards and measures regarding the operations being conducted by various operational units of the NBI nationwide.
Distor said that the NBI will thoroughly re-examine the agency’s guidelines on operations including service of Search Warrant operations, Intelligence operations, and investigation operations.
Distor stressed that all operational authority must come from the Office of the Director and must be under the control and supervision of the said office, with assistance from the respective Deputy Directors.
He added that all Regional Directors, Agents-In-Charge and Central Office Chiefs are likewise ordered to submit to the Office of the Director their performance/accomplishment reports for review.
Distor emphasized that a re-assessment and revisiting of the Bureau’s operational guidelines also aim to scale down abuse of authority to leave no room for trust and integrity issues and increase professionalism among operatives as well as to further reinforce the Bureau’s ongoing success in combating crimes and illicit activities with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
Distor added a review of operational standards and procedures periodically undertaken is always necessary as part of management’s response to increasing role of the NBI to the challenges in a modern and highly technologically advanced society.
Distor further pointed out that a continuous cleansing of the Bureau’s personnel will be undertaken so that only the highly skilled, competent and deserving will be retained, adding that he will not tolerate unprofessionalism in the NBI.