Palace says next NBI chief must be ‘tough, clean’

President Benigno Aquino III wants the next National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief to be “tough and clean,’’ his spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Monday.

Lacierda said Mr. Aquino had instructed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to look for these qualifications while she was preparing a short list of candidates for the top NBI post.

The position is vacant after the President sacked Magtanggol Gatdula last week because of a justice department panel’s finding that the latter was involved in the abduction of a Japanese woman in October last year by unauthorized NBI agents.

Mr. Aquino has ordered a replacement for Gatdula who he said he no longer trusted after the NBI chief failed to heed instructions for his agents to bring Noriyo Ohara to immigration officials.

Gatdula has denied involvement in the kidnap-extortion case.

Lacierda said there was “enough evidence warranting (Gatdula’s) replacement.”

Now that the search for Gatdula’s replacement is on, it is up to De Lima to look for people, whether inside or outside the bureau, who will meet the requirements of Mr. Aquino, the presidential spokesperson said.

“(The President) just wanted someone who is tough and clean. Tough because it’s an organization that deals with criminal elements and you have to gain the respect of those people from within and without the organization,’’ Lacierda told reporters at a press briefing.

He dismissed as “speculation’’ reports that Customs Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim, former Philippine National Police chief Raul Bacalzo and Criminal Investigative and Detection Group chief Samuel Pagdilao were among those being eyed for the top NBI post.

“Let’s just wait for the short list and this will be decided upon by President Aquino,’’ Lacierda said.

Originally posted at 03:19 pm | Monday, January 23, 2012