Aguirre orders revamp of 2 NBI units amid corruption probe

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has reorganized two units of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) subject of a corruption probe called by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In separate department orders, the Justice chief designated officials and personnel to temporarily man the operations of the NBI Cybercrime Division and Digital Forensic Laboratory (DFL).

For the NBI Cybercrime Division, Aguirre assigned Head Agent Manuel Eduarte and Special Agent Alex Bautista as chief and executive officer, respectively.

Also on the team are Juliana Gabionza, Nina Grace Bacho, Chris Edgardo Anonuevo, Jeremy Lotoc and Ma. Aiza Arcega.

Special Agent Victor Lorenzo has been named DFL chief with Special Agent Christopher Paz as executive officer.

Agent Edgardo Anonuevo and Special Investigator Jay Salangguste were tapped as members.

The orders remain in place until lifted by Aguirre.

Last week, Aguirre created a fact-finding committee to probe the alleged corruption and anomalies supposedly committed by the personnel of the two offices against Intellcash International Inc., Datacentric Corporation and Delta Clout.

Aguirre did not give additional details about the issue.

Under Department Order 460, the panel is tasked to determine the administrative and/or criminal liabilities, if any, that have been incurred by the members of the NBI Cybercrime Division and DFL and other component offices that participated in the operations.

The five-man panel is headed by Justice Undersecretary Raymund Mecate, who Aguirre assigned to supervise the NBI.

The panel has 30 days to submit a final report with recommendations to Aguirre.

“This probe is one way to separate the good from the bad. The bad and the undesirable elements must be severed before they infect and taint the careers of the still many good men and women of the NBI," Aguirre said. — RSJ/KVD, GMA News