SULU – The National Bureau of Investigation has formally opened its satellite office in Patikul town in Sulu province in southern Philippines, to better service Muslims not only in Sulu, but Tawi-Tawi as well.
NBI deputy directors Antonio Pagatpat (Operations Services) and Ferdinand Lavin, (Forensics); and lawyer Peter Lugar, the acting NBI regional director for Western Mindanao, graced the opening of the office together with Sulu Governor Totoh Tan and municipal mayors. Former Sulu Governor and philanthropist Dr. Sakur Tan was also invited to the event and joined the formal opening of the NBI office.
Governor Tan has provided the office for the NBI, but his father, Dr. Tan, also known in Sulu as Datu Shahbandar, had initiated the move to call on national government agencies to have representation in the province.
In his speech, Governor Tan stressed the importance of having an office of the NBI in Sulu and urged other government agencies to also set up offices in the province and bring the services of government closer to the people. “Sulu must be given adequate attention in terms of services coming from the national government. The provincial government is always ready to support and do its share to have the presence of national agencies of government in Sulu. Access to services rendered by these national agencies would be a strong sign of better things to come for our people,” he said.
The NBI officials praised Governor Tan for his support and thanked him and the provincial government to putting up a satellite office in Sulu. Governor Tan also donated office equipment and furniture to the NBI office. “With our meager resources in the Bureau, it will take years to put up the NBI office here in Sulu. Due to Governor Tan’s support, now we are here inaugurating this NBI Office in Sulu,” Director Pagatpat said.
For his part, Director Lavin said the NBI office will not only bring its services closer to the people, but also help in law enforcement operations. “The NBI clearance system can assists the police and military in their law enforcement duties by verifying the true identities of criminals or persons of interest,” he said, adding, the NBI satellite office is directly connected to their main server in Manila via the Internet.
He also joined Governor Tan in urging other government agencies, especially the Department of Foreign Affairs and Philippine Statistics Office, to put satellite branch in Sulu, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region. “I challenge our counterparts. The national government agencies to provide basic services, come here make representation with local government leaders. They are very supportive, believe you me. Maniwala.kayo sa akin, very supportive. With the vision, executive functions, benevolence and generosity of your Governor. Today we inaugurate our new NBI Sulu Satellite office and bringing NBI office right to your doorstep,” Director Lavin said.
He said Governor Tan and his father, and other municipal mayors also got their NBI clearance at the satellite office. (Ahl-franzie Salinas)
Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindanaoexaminer
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Read Our News on: http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com /http://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/
Share Our News
Digital Archives: issuu.com/mindanaoexaminernewspaper
20
