PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed retired judge Jaime Santiago as the director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Santiago, who is also a former police official, took his oath administered by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Friday morning, June 14, 2024.
He will replace outgoing NBI director Medardo de Lemos.
Santiago was a graduate of BS Criminology at the Philippine College of Criminology in 1988 before he took up Law at the Manuel L. Quezon University from 1989 to 1993.
He served at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Western Police District from 1979 to 2000 and was part of the deputy chief of the elite Special Weapons and Tactics team.
He made headlines in the 1990s when he was tagged as a sharpshooter by the Manila police. He took part in various hostage-taking incidents as a sniper and successfully rescued the victims.
His life was featured in a 1996 Filipino biographical action film portrayed by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
Santiago also served as a Criminal Law professor at the Emilio Aguinaldo College, Philippine College of Criminology and Emilio Aguinaldo College.
In 2001, Santiago availed of early retirement from the PNP and practiced law.
He served as the acting executive/presiding judge of the Regional Trial Courts in the cities of Manila and Tagaytay, and a former Metropolitan Trial Court judge of Manila City.
He served as the assistant city prosecutor of the Department of Justice-Office of the City Prosecutor from October 2003 to December 2006.
Santiago is also a former Deputy Executive Vice President of the Philippine Judges Association and former President of the Metropolitan and City Judges Association of the Philippines.
He was also named one of the 10 Outstanding Policemen of the Philippines by the Philippine Jaycees in 2009 and Outstanding Criminologist by the Professional Regulation Commission in 2012. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)