The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) can now resume investigating people suspected of involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday revoked the order he issued on Oct. 13 directing the NBI to leave all antinarcotics operations to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
“The NBI is hereby granted authority to conduct investigation and case buildup” for illegal drug cases,” Aguirre said in his new order dated Dec. 6.
He ordered NBI Director Dante Gierran to submit a monthly report on the bureau’s illegal drug case investigations and operations.
“The PDEA shall continue, however, to be the overall lead agency in drug operations,” he stressed.
The NBI is one of the agencies under the Department of Justice.