President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has appointed retired judge and policeman Jaime Santiago as director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Presidential Communications Office

MANILA — Newly installed National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago on Friday said his priorities include the faster issuance of NBI clearances and the fight against cybercrime syndicates. 

“As much as possible pagandahin pa ang serbisyo ng NBI, tiwala ng tao ibalik, usual na order sa isang bagong hepe,” said Santiago, who paid a courtesy call to Department of Justice undersecretaries following his oath-taking in Malacañang on Friday afternoon.

“Lalo na yung speedy issuance ng clearances, isa na iyan, tututok kami sa cybercrime, ang dami na nating mga scam-scam, so iyan ang tututukan ko as much as possible,” he added.

Before assuming the top post at the NBI, Santiago was a retired judge and policeman. 

“Syempre excited, unang pangarap ko maging pulis, sinwerte lang naging abugado, naging piskal, naging judge, balik na naman sa pulis, although NBI, ibang larangan naman,” he said.

Santiago noted that his predecessor, Medardo Delemos, retired from service after being extended by President Marcos.

“Retired na siya tapos inextend siya ng president, so tapos na ang extension,” Santiago said.

The official said he would meet with Delemos for a smooth transition of office.

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Santiago finished BS Criminology at the Philippine College of Criminology (PCCR) in 1988 and obtained his law degree from the Manuel L. Quezon University in 1993.

He served at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Western Police District from 1979 to 2000.

Santiago also served as the acting executive/presiding judge of the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) in Manila and Tagaytay, and was a former Metropolitan Trial Court judge of Manila City.

He served as the assistant city prosecutor of the Department of Justice from October 2003 to December 2006.