Trivia about the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

The Philippine Postal Corporation is coming up with the 75 Years Anniversary of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) stamps, which will be issued on November 7, 2011. It is classified as a “Commemorative” kind of issue with a denomination of P 7.00 and quantity of 150,000 pieces.

According to its official website (http://www.nbi.gov.ph), “The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) saw its inception on November 13, 1936 upon approval of Commonwealth Act No. 181 by the legislature. It was the the brainchild of the late President Manuel L. Quezon and Jose Yulo, then Secretary of Justice.

“Tasked with organizing a Division of Investigation or DI patterned after the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation were Thomas Dugan, a veteran American police captain from the New York Police Department and Flaviano C. Guerrero, the only Filipino member of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“On the basis of stiff physical, mental, and moral standards, 45 men were selected as agents from among 300 applicants. To complement this investigative force was a civilian staff composed of doctors, chemists, fingerprint technicians, photographers, stenographers, and clerks.

“During the Japanese occupation, the DI was affiliated with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Philippine Constabulary known as the Bureau of Investigation (BI). Subsequently, during the post-liberation period, all available DI agents were recruited by the US Army CIC as investigators.

“Since then, the Bureau assumed an increasingly significant role. Thus, on June 19, 1947, by virtue of Republic Act No. 157, it was reorganized into the Bureau of Investigation. Later, it was amended by Executive Order No. 94 issued on October 4, 1947 renaming it to what it is presently known, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).”