National Bureau of Investigation (Philippines)



The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) (Filipino: Pambansang Kawanihan ng Pagsisiyasat) (PKP), is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Justice, responsible for handling and solving major high profile cases that are in the interest of the nation.

Organization and Jurisdiction
The NBI is a government entity that is civilian in character, and national in scope which  is  under the Department of Justice. It is headed by a director and with an assistant director and six (6) deputy-directors for—Special Investigation Services (SIS); Regional Operations Services (ROS); Intelligence Services (IS); Technical Services (TS); Administrative Services (AS); and Comptroller Services (CS).

NBI Directors
A list of NBI heads since the founding in 1946:
 * 1946 - 1950 Pardo de Tavera
 * 1951 Higinio Macadaeg
 * 1951 - 1954 Alberto Ramos
 * 1954 Jose M. Crisol
 * 1954 Leoncio Tan
 * 1954-1966 Jose G. Lukban
 * 1966 Serafin Fausto (OIC)
 * 1967 - 1986 Jolly R. Bugarin
 * 1986 - 1989 Jesus Antonio M. Carpio
 * 1989 - 1992 Gen. Alfredo S. Lim
 * 1992 - 1995 Epimaco Velasco
 * 1995 Antonio D. Aragon +
 * 1995 - 1996 Mariano M. Mison
 * 1996 - 1999 Santiago Y. Toledo +
 * 1999 - 2000 Federico M. Opinion +
 * 2000 - January 2001 Carlos S. Caabay (O-I-C)
 * 2001 - 2005 Gen. Reynaldo G. Wycoco +
 * 2005 - 2010 Atty. Nestor M. Mantaring
 * 2010–2012 Atty. Magtanggol B. Gatdula
 * 2012–Present Nonnatus Caesar Rojas

Region 1

 * Ilocos Regional Office (IRO) – San Fernando City, La Union
 * Dagupan District Office (DADO) – Dagupan City, Pangasinan
 * Laoag District Office (LADO) – Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
 * Vigan District Office (VIDO) – Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Region 2

 * Cagayan Valley Regional Office (CAVRO) – Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
 * Isabela District Office (ISDO) – Ilagan, Isabela
 * Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) – Baguio City, Benguet
 * Bayombong District Office (BAYDO) – Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

Region 3

 * Central Luzon Regional Office (CELRO) – San Fernando, Pampanga
 * Bulacan District Office (BULDO) – Plaridel, Bulacan
 * Cabanatuan District Office (CABDO) – Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
 * Tarlac District Office (TARDO) – San Roque, Tarlac City, Tarlac
 * Olongapo District Office (OLDO) – Upper Kalaklan, Olongapo City, Zambales

Region 4

 * Southern Tagalog Regional Office (SOTRO) – Batangas City, Batangas
 * Lucena District Office (LUCDO) – Lucena City, Quezon
 * Puerto Princesa District Office (PUERDO) – Taft St., Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
 * Cavite District Office (CAVIDO) – Kaybagal, Tagaytay City, Cavite
 * Calapan District Office (CALDO) – Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro
 * Laguna District Office (LAGDO) – Sta. Rosa City, Laguna

Region 5

 * Bicol Regional Office (BRO) - Naga City
 * Legazpi District Office (LEGDO) - Legazpi City, Albay

Region 6

 * Western Visayas Regional Office (WEVRO) - Iloilo City
 * Bacolod District Office (BACDO) - Bacolod City

Region 7

 * Central Visayas Regional Office (CEVRO) – Cebu City, Cebu
 * Dumaguete District Office (DUMDO) – Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
 * Bohol District Office (BOHDO) – Dao, Tagbilaran City, Bohol

Region 8

 * Eastern Visayas Regional Office (EVRO) – Tacloban City, Leyte
 * Samar District Office (SAMDO) – Catbalogan City, Samar

Region 9

 * Western Mindanao Regional Office (WEMRO) – Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur
 * Dipolog District Office (DIPDO) – Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte
 * Pagadian District Office (PAGDO) – Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur

Region 10

 * Northern Mindanao Regional Office (NEMRO) – Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
 * Iligan District Office (ILDO) – Iligan City, Lanao del Norte

Region 11

 * South Eastern Mindanao Regional Office (SEMRO) – Bajada, Davao City
 * Tagum District Office (TAGDO) – Visayan Village, Tagum City, Davao del Norte

Region 12

 * Central Eastern Mindanao Regional Office (CEMRO) – Cotabato City, Maguindanao
 * Sarangani District Office (SARDO) – Alabel, Sarangani

Region 13

 * Caraga Regional Office (CARAGA) – Butuan City, Agusan del Norte

The Intelligence Service, NBI
The Intelligence Service (formerly known as the Domestic Intelligence Services; Domestic Intelligence Division; Intelligence Section) is the security service arm of the Bureau which undertakes internal security operations against terrorist elements and large organized crime groups who are identified as threats to the State as well as undertake internal security operations and investigation on suspected corrupt government officials or persons deemed or identified as a security threat. It is also mandated to undertake and supervise the security training and education of government, police and military personnel (upon their agency request)on matters relating to intelligence and security and when call upon, conduct security survey and risk assessment of government (and at times, private) infrastructures classified as critical in nature.

IS-NBI operational divisions from time to time are called on by the Bureau management to assist the Special Investigative Services (SIS) in the solution of a number of the high profile-complex crime cases handled by the Bureau during the past several years.

With the assumption of retired Police General, Atty. MAGTANGGOL B. GATDULA as Bureau Director, the entire Manila based Bureau services underwent streamlining in order to make the NBI more effective and efficient in terms of the utilization of manpower and resources in the fight against elements of organized crime and terrorism.

The following operational divisions of the Intelligence Service-NBI were retained:


 * Counter Terrorism Division (CTD)- formerly the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) renamed as per  Administrative Order 16, Series of 2010
 * Counter Intelligence Division (CID)
 * Criminal Intelligence Division (CRID)
 * Research and Analysis Division (RAD)
 * Technical Intelligence Division (TID)

In accordance with Administrative Order No. 11, Series of 2010, the following IS divisions were abolish and there respective functions (as well as some of their personnel, equipment and materiel etc.) transferred to the Counter Intelligence Division, namely:


 * Background Investigation Division (BID)
 * Field Operations Division (FOD)
 * Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD)

The Security Management Division (SMD) formerly assigned with the IS was transferred to the Administrative Services (AS) in accordance with Administrative Order No. 7, series of 2010. The Reaction, Arrest & Interdiction Division (RAID) was transferred to the Special Investigative Services (SIS) in accordance with Administrative Order No. 13, series of 2010.

A number of experienced operatives from the three disbanded intelligence divisions are to be distributed to two newly created divisions namely the Death Investigation Division (DID) and Environmental Welfare and Protection Investigation Division (EWPID) both of which are under the supervision of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) under Deputy Director RICKSON CHIONG. Still, a number of these same operatives expressed their desire to remain in the Intelligence Service and have requested for reassignment with the Counter Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Division.

During the past several years, the IS have actively engaged in a number of high-profile anti-crime operations specifically targeting high risk individuals or crime groups. IS operatives however are trained and condition to observe the NBI Rules of Engagement (ROE) wherein priority is given to bringing the malefactor (preferably) alive to face the bar of justice.

However, if a legitimate law enforcement operation is carried out by the IS-NBI and is met by some form of hostile, violent or deadly resistance from the targeted criminal subject(s), IS operatives are trained to utilize appropriate amount or corresponding use of force in accordance with the existing NBI ROE.

Such were the case when IS and NBI-CEVRO operatives served the Warrants of Arrest against the late ALVIN FLORES et al. in their beach resort hide out in Campostela, Cebu island and in assisting operatives of the (now disbanded) Special Action Unit (SAU) in serving the Warrant of Arrest against crime suspect JASON IVLER.

At present, select operatives of the IS-NBI are on detached service with the Task Force Judiciary Protection (TFJP) specifically created to undertake the protection, risk assessment, investigation and security training of members of the Judiciary that are:

1. Assigned to high risk areas;

2. Received death threats in connection with high risk or heinous crime cases filed in their respective courts;

3. Actual victims/survivor of violent action intended to kill, maim or wound them;

4. Assigned to courts which have been the subject or has experienced violent attacks against one of its members, clients or visitors;

IS operatives working closely with the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) have help train close to five hundred (500) judges from the 1st and 2nd level courts originating from the various regions of the country on matters relating to Personal Security Awareness.

IS operatives assigned with the TFJP also undertakes overt and covert security inspections of Hall of Justices in various parts of the country in order to gather data for an ideal security protocol for the lower courts. This assignment is undertaken with the guidance and supervision of the Committee on Security of the Supreme Court formerly chaired by Chief Justice (retired), Hon. REYNATO PUNO, but now under the helm of CHIEF JUSTICE RENATO CORONA.

The Intelligence Service is also currently entrusted with securing the persons of a number of High Profile Subjects (HPS) mostly state witnesses believed to be High Risk Targets, as well as some High Valued Prisoners (HVP) most recent of which in the person of DATU UNSAY MAYOR ANDAL AMPATUAN, JR. who was secured by IS operatives 24 hours a day/7 days a week for more than one hundred days at the NBI Detention Building before his transfer to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Detention Center in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

IS operatives (mostly from the Counter Terrorism Division) were tasked to help secure the Department of Justice premises in Padre Faura, Ermita, Manila where the hearings of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) regarding the Manila Bus Hostage Crisis were being held as well as provide field security for the IIRC members during their inspection tour of the Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta and the Hong Thai bus currently being secured at a warehouse in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig.

Recently IS operatives (mainly from the CTD and RAD)accompanied NBI Director MAGTANGGOL B. GATDULA in securing the person of long wanted Filipino fugitive ROLANDO FAJARDO, regarded as the Philippines Most Wanted Kidnap-For-Ransom-Group leader who illicitly fled the country sometime between 2001-2002 too Italy. FAJARDO is currently under guard at an undisclosed hospital and resting prior to his transfer to a more secure environment as he awaits arraignment for trial in a court of law.

The IS-NBI also maintains close working relationship with its domestic counterparts and at times undertake coordinated security operations against terrorist elements with augmented manpower complements from these units.

In compliance with NBI Memorandum Order No. 15, Series of 2011, dated March 17, 2011, the Reaction, Arrest and Interdiction Division (RAID) was transferred from the administrative supervision of Special Investigative Services to the Intelligence Service. As of May 2011, the current IS operational units are as follows:

1. Counter Intelligence Division (CID) 2. Counter Terrorism Division (CTD) 3. Criminal Intelligence Division (CRID) 4. Reaction, Arrest and Interdiction Division (RAID) 5. Research and Analysis Division (RAD) 6. Technical Intelligence Division (TID)