MANILA — Amid the controversies being faced by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), a party-list lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to modernize the forensic capabilities of the agency and turn it into a world-class anti-crime investigation organization.

Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco said he filed House Bill 5683, or the "NBI Reorganization and Modernization Act of 2012," in order for the agency to fully realize its mission and vision of a world-class investigative institution providing quality investigative and forensic services to the people through advanced method and equipment in the pursuit of truth and justice.

Haresco noted that the present NBI is practically using "medieval" forensic technology that does not even have its own national Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) database despite rapid advances in DNA technology.

He likewise noted that after 76 years of existence, the agency has barely adapted with the ever-changing society.

Under HB 5683, the NBI shall implement a modernization program geared towards the acquisition of state-of-the-art investigative and intelligence equipment and the establishment of forensic and scientific laboratories across the country.

Salient features of the bill include: the proposal for the establishment of an NBI Academy that shall be responsible for the recruitment, training and development of all NBI agents and personnel; the increase and upgrading of positions of investigative and non-investigative staff; the establishment of a Cyber Investigation and Assessment Center; and the establishment of a Forensic and Scientific Research Center, among other things.

“The main objective of the NBI is the establishment and maintenance of a modern effective and efficient investigative service and research agency and the only way to do it is to invest on the latest technologies in forensic science and put competent people who know how to use these latest technologies,” Haresco said. (PNA)

DCT/lgi/CMR