New NBI OIC named

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has appointed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Assistant Director Medardo de Lemos as officer in charge of the agency, following the resignation of Director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas last Sept. 3.

In Department Order No. 712 dated Sept. 25, which was released yesterday, De Lima said De Lemos shall remain OIC until further orders or until President Aquino appoints a new NBI director. De Lima had served as NBI OIC following Rojas’ resignation.

The new OIC shall oversee the day-to-day administration of the operations of the NBI under her direction, De Lima said.

De Lemos, who was appointed assistant director by the President in September 2010, has direct supervision over the agency’s six deputy directors.

He became the agency’s highest ranking NBI official following Rojas’ resignation after President Aquino expressed his distrust in agency officials who allegedly leaked information that an arrest warrant would be issued against suspected Priority Development Assistance Fund scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

In December 2011, De Lemos was among those who were investigated by a DOJ fact-finding panel formed to probe the complaints of kidnapping and extortion by Japanese illegal immigrant Noriyo Ohara.   Jerome Aning