NBI apologizes for major clearance applications snafus

MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apologized to the public on Thursday for the inconvenience caused by the closure of its clearance office, and  slow processing of clearance applications.

Dr. Rommel Papa of the NBI said aside from the head office, they had also opened satellite offices at five Robinsons malls in Galleria, East, Cainta, Ermita and Otis where the public could go, to apply for an NBI clearance.

The NBI also enlisted Strategic and Comprehensive Consultants Inc.-Real Time Data Management Services Inc., in a joint venture, for a Biometric Clearance System. This is a six-month interim project to help the NBI cope with the recent pull-out of Mega Data Corporation.

Mega Data had been providing the NBI various computers, data capture, image capture and card production equipment and supplies, to serve the bureau’s data processing needs for almost 30 years.

Mega Data’s contract with the NBI expired last June 30.

Papa said the NBI now has to start from scratch because Mega Data “took its technology with them”,  which he claimed is the reason for the current delays.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima has ordered an investigation of the NBI’s contract with Mega Data .

“I find it questionable that there is no such transfer of technology. I thought it was supposed to be a BOT contract and it involved a transfer of technology,” De Lima told reporters.

Inquirer.net was unable to get Mega Data’s side of the story as of press time.