By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is preparing to station personnel in Philippine diplomatic posts abroad to bring its cybercrime and transnational crime response closer to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), its chief said Thursday.
During the Senate deliberation on the Department of Justice’s proposed 2027 budget, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the bureau is initially looking at countries in the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Asia with large Filipino communities.
“Napansin po namin na tumataas po yung cases ng mga cyber fraud na nabibiktima po yung mga OFWs natin (We have noticed an increasing number of cyberfraud cases victimizing our OFWs),” Matibag said.
He said having NBI personnel stationed abroad would allow the bureau to assist Filipino victims more directly while improving coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies in cases that cross national borders.
The plan is already allowed under Republic Act 10867 or the National Bureau of Investigation Reorganization and Modernization Act, which authorizes the NBI director to deploy personnel on foreign missions, including assignments to Philippine embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic offices in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Despite the authority being in place since 2016, Matibag said overseas deployment has yet to be implemented largely because of funding constraints.
“Well, unang-una na po yun, yung budgetary constraint po talaga (Well, first of all, it is really because of budgetary constraints),” he said.
Matibag said the NBI has formed a technical working group to coordinate with the DFA on implementing the provision.
Senate Committee on Justice chair Francis Pangilinan suggested that the bureau begin with selected locations instead of immediately attempting a worldwide deployment.
Matibag said the bureau intends to prioritize areas with a significant OFW presence, identifying the Middle East first, followed by Europe, South America and parts of Asia.
Asked when the first deployments could take place, Matibag said the framework is already being prepared and implementation could begin next year if sufficient funding is provided.
He said the NBI is also studying the overseas setup of foreign counterparts, including the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, as it designs its own system.
“Kung malagyan po natin ang kaukulan po na kailangan na budget (If we are provided the necessary budget), we are already preparing the framework,” Matibag said.
Republic Act 10867 also gives the NBI primary investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act and transnational crimes covered by international agreements.
Matibag said closer links with overseas counterparts have become more important as cyberfraud networks increasingly operate across borders.
Earlier in the hearing, he said the NBI recently coordinated with US Homeland Security Investigations and Thai authorities and found scam operations in different countries becoming increasingly interconnected.
Pangilinan said the Senate justice panel would help the bureau work toward an initial deployment next year. (PNA)
