Newly appointed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Medardo G. de Lemos took his oath of office on Tuesday, Aug. 9, before Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.
De Lemos’ appointment was announced by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last Aug. 1. Remulla had named De Lemos NBI officer-in-charge (OIC) last July 1.
De Lemos replaced NBI Senior Deputy Director Eric B. Distor who was appointed NBI OIC in 2020 by then President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Prior to his appointment, De Lemos, a lawyer, was the second in command at the NBI with the position of assistant director.
“He is the most senior officer of the National Bureau of Investigation. He has been with the Bureau for the past 37 years,” the NBI said in a previous statement.
It said De Lemos wrote the paper on “Shootings of and by NBI Agents and Special Investigators” and was instrumental in crafting the bureau’s Rules of Engagement which defined the policy on the use of deadly force in its enforcement operations.
“He is a regular lecturer at the Philippine Judicial Academy on the use of deadly force in the security training for judges,” it said.
De Lemos was born and raised in Iligan City. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts major in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines and his Masters in Management from the Philippine Christian University.
“Atty. De Lemos graduated from the University of the Philippines’ College of Law in 1983. He is a graduate of NBI Academy in 1985,” the bureau added.