NBI eyes opening attache offices worldwide by 2027

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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) plans to establish attaché offices at Philippine embassies worldwide to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who fall victim to cyber fraud.

During the agency’s Senate budget hearing on Thursday, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said they would initially prioritize areas in the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Asia with large OFW populations.

“We intend to put NBI liaisons, attaché offices, in other countries, sa mga embassies na we have a strong presence of our OFWs kasi napansin namin na tumataas ang cases ng cyber fraud na nagbibiktima ang OFWs natin,” Matibag said.

(We intend to put NBI liaisons, or attaché offices, in other countries, particularly in embassies where we have a strong presence of OFWs, because we have noticed an increase in cyber fraud cases targeting our OFWs.)

“It will be good if we have an NBI attaché representing para doon matulungan natin ang ating kababayan na OFW,” he added.

(It would be beneficial to have an NBI attaché representing us there so we can assist our fellow Filipinos who are OFWs.)

The establishment of NBI attaché offices worldwide is part of the National Bureau of Investigation Reorganization and Modernization Act, which aims to improve the services of NBI.

Matibag said the plan has yet to be implemented due to budgetary constraints, but the NBI has formed a technical working group to coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs on its implementation.

He said eight out of the 10 cases handled by the NBI are related to cybercrime.

NBI is an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

For 2027, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking a budget of P46.435 billion, which is equivalent to 0.64% of the P7.2-trillion national budget.

Of DOJ’s total proposed budget, P31.723 billion (68.32%) was allotted for Personnel Services (PS), P11.340 billion (24.42%) for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), and P3.372 billion (7.26%) for Capital Outlay (CO). —VAL, GMA News