PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed lawyer Melvin Matibag as the new director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
This was confirmed by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro in a press conference on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
Castro said she does not have any other information about Matibag’s appointment.
Matibag served as secretary general of the political party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban), the party once chaired by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
He resigned as secretary general and as a member of PDP–Laban in October 2023 amid intra-party controversies and policy disagreements.
In August 2025, NBI director Jaime Santiago resigned from post.
He was replaced by acting NBI director Lito Magno. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)