THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday officially announced that Angelito DLP Magno has assumed office as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the government’s lead agency for criminal investigations.
Mr. Magno, appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., succeeded former NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago, whose irrevocable resignation was accepted by Malacañang earlier this week.
A career officer with more than three decades of service, Mr. Magno began his NBI career in 1991 as a project worker and steadily rose through the ranks to become assistant director, holding key posts in the Bureau’s Legal, Investigation, and Information and Communication Technology services.
He previously served as regional director in Ilocos region, central Luzon, Calabarzon and northern Mindanao, overseeing major operations across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Among the high-profile cases under his leadership were the P3.8-billion drug bust in Pampanga, the investigation into the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo, the probe into the MT Princess Empress oil spill, and the dismantling of the Socorro Bayanihan child exploitation network.
In a statement, the NBI said Mr. Magno aims to strengthen the bureau’s investigative capacity and institutional integrity, urging personnel to uphold ethical conduct and public trust.
Mr. Magno holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of San Carlos and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Santo Tomas.
In his resignation letter to the President dated Aug. 15, former NBI Director Santiago said he decided to step down due to “incessant moves” by “detractors and those who have sinister interest in my position” to discredit him.
He said his tenure focused on cleansing the Bureau of erring personnel and investigating irregularities, including the abolition of a unit allegedly prone to misconduct. Mr. Santiago said he resigned to prevent the controversies surrounding his leadership from disrupting NBI operations. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking
