PASIG CITY, January 28, 2017 – To better improve its legal services, the Department of Education (DepEd) sought the technical assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in capacity building.

The DepEd Legal Services, through the help of NBI agents, initiated a three-day training at the Regional Education Learning Center (RELC) in Marikina City for legal officers, action officers, and legal assistants of the DepEd Central Office, NCR, and Region IV-A.

According to Atty. Jose Mario Macarilay, OIC Director of Deped Legal Services, the Department coordinated with NBI to tap the technical expertise of their agents in conducting investigation, and surveillance and security, which are highly important in the performance of duties of government investigators.

“This is the first time that the DepEd will be having this kind of training for our lawyers and legal assistants, who are handling different cases that basically involve investigation as a preliminary step to solve a problem,” Dir. Macarilay said.

Atty. Macarilay said that the activity is an initial step to improving and modernizing the legal services of the Department.

“We have to capacitate our personnel by strengthening the workforce. This is an opportunity for our DepEd lawyers to update themselves with new knowledge and techniques on conducting investigation and also to develop self-confidence and learn basic self-defense to protect themselves.”

Atty. Macarilay added, “This is not an easy task for our lawyers who are going around the field to investigate or conduct surveillance. They need not only the skills to do their job effectively but they must also learn how to protect themselves.”

The topics discussed in the training are the following: principles of investigation, interview techniques, basic principles of intelligence, and rules of evidence gathering, personal protection, and security awareness and special laws. Activities include lectures, workshops, and practical exercises.

Invited resource persons were Atty. Orlando Navallo, Head Agent of the NBI Academy; Atty. Auralyn Pascual, Chief of NBI Training Division; and Dr. Manolo Amisalo, NBI Training Specialist.

The training was inspired by the presence and support shown by Undersecretary for Legal Service, Atty. Alberto Muyot; Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs, Atty. Josephine Maribojoc; and Assistant Regional Director of DepEd NCR Wilfredo Cabral.

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