TheNational Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA;Filipino:Pambansang Ahensiya na Tagapag-Ugnay sa Pamalayan) is the primary intelligence gathering and analysis arm of thegovernment of the Philippines in charge of carrying out overt,covert, andclandestine intelligence activities. The NICA directs, coordinates, and integrates all intelligence activities, both foreign and domestic, concerning national security,[2] serving as the leading intelligence collector of the national government, focusing on the country's strategic intelligence requirements. It is mandated to prepare intelligence estimate on local and foreign situation for the formulation of national security policies by the President and theNational Security Council.[4]
The agency also serves as the focal point for the government's counterintelligence activities and operation; acts as Secretariat to the Anti-Terrorism Council; and serves as head of theNational Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict's Situation Awareness and Knowledge Management Cluster.[4][5]
The NICA is led by a Director-General, who reports directly to thepresident of the Philippines, and is assisted by two Deputy Director-Generals.[6] Its headquarters is located inQuezon City,[7] with regional offices located all over the country and foreign stations in countries of interest to the Philippine government.[8]
The National Intelligence Committee, chaired by the Director-General, serves as the advisory body of NICA.[6][9][10]
Main office of NICA along V. Luna Avenue in Quezon City
Founded in 1949, the NICA was created by PresidentElpidio Quirino under the authority ofExecutive Order No. 235.[11] In 1954, the Government Survey and Reorganization Commission ordered the expansion of the powers of NICA.[9] The agency was reorganized in 1958 under Executive Order No. 291 by PresidentCarlos P. Garcia.[12]
The NICA was abolished on November 16, 1972, by PresidentFerdinand Marcos under Presidential Decree No. 51, and was replaced by the National Intelligence and Security Authority (NISA), which was designated as the principal intelligence agency, and the Civil Intelligence and Security Agency (CISA), which was tasked with counterintelligence and supervision of all civil security units in Philippine government offices.[9] The NISA was then headed by Gen.Fabian Ver and was alleged to be responsible for varioushuman rights abuses, primarily during themartial law period. The regime of President Marcos, through Gen. Ver, was believed byhuman rights groups to have used NISA to spy on, abduct and eliminate persons opposing theautocracy of President Marcos in the 1970s and the 1980s,[13] as the regime's secret police.
In 1978, the NISA was designated as the focal point for all intelligence activities involving national security and supervisor of other intelligence agencies under the Office of the President.[14]
In 1987, shortly after thePeople Power Revolution which had led to a peaceful removal of President Marcos from office, his successor PresidentCorazon Aquino issued Executive Order No. 246 which abolished NISA and CISA and reestablished NICA.[6] The NICA then refocused its priorities in tackling thecommunist insurgency in the Philippines.[13]
In 1990, the National Security Advisor was given responsibility to oversee management and control of NICA to be responsive to the needs of the President and theNational Security Council.[13][15]
NICA agents were responsible for the arrest of severalAbu Sayyaf members, includingAl Qaeda-linked bomber Abdulmukim Edris.[16]
On February 1, 2006, PresidentGloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order No. 492, which ordered the NICA to activate the National Maritime Aerial Reconnaissance and Surveillance Center (NMARSC). The NMARSC was designated as the primaryimagery intelligence provider for the Philippineintelligence community and was tasked to operateunmanned aerial vehicles under the supervision and oversight of the National Security Adviser.[18]
On March 6, 2007, President Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9372, also known as theHuman Security Act of 2007, which designates the NICA as the Secretariat of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).[19][20]
In 2011, Juan Ponce Enrile challenged President Aquino to declassify intelligence files from the former NISA.[21]
In 2018, then-House of Representatives Majority Floor LeaderRodolfo Fariñas filed House Bill No. 7111, also known as the Foreign Electronic Surveillance Act. The bill would have allowed NICA agents to covertly conduct electronic surveillance operations against foreign countries, terrorists and private groups without the need of having awarrant or acourt order in an emergency situation.[22] A warrantless operation outside the Philippine territory would also need the approval by the director-general of the NICA and the secretary of theDepartment of Justice (DOJ).[22] However, since it was not enacted by the end of the17th Congress, the bill is already considered "dead" in the House of RepresentativesCommittee on National Defense and Security.
On June 3, 2020, PresidentRodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11479, also known as theAnti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which repealed the Human Security Act of 2007. Pursuant to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, the NICA remains as the Secretariat of the ATC. However, NICA has also now been tasked to provide its recommendation on an application forproscription seeking to declare any individual or group as aterrorist before theCourt of Appeals. Such application for proscription may only be filed by the DOJ, subject to the authority of the ATC.
On January 3, 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a revamp to the NICA through Executive Order No. 54, which would create the Office of the Deputy Director General (ODDG) for Cyber and Emerging Threats to handle and address counter-intelligence and counter-measures against cybersecurity threats.[23]
The NICA is organized into the following divisions and directorates:[25]
Office of the Director-General – led by the Director-General
Directorate of Operations – led by the Assistant Director-General for Operations
Directorate of Production – led by the Assistant Director-General for Production
Directorate of Administration – led by the Assistant Director-General for Administration
Management and Planning Office
Office of the Comptroller
In June, 2024, Marcos Jr. appointed Jesus Leonardo Auxilio asExecutive director of the National Maritime Aerial Reconnaissance and Surveillance Center of the NICA.[26]
Various field stations invarious regions – led by its respective Regional Directors[27]
^abc"History of NICA". Archived from the original on June 2, 2003. RetrievedJune 2, 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Retrieved on December 27, 2007.
^"Archived copy"(PDF).senate.gov.ph. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on June 16, 2019. RetrievedJanuary 11, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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