Atty. Virgilio Mendez, or “Dodong” to many, is a father, farmer, statesman, public servant, leader, lawyer, and a lover of nature; a person with a strong disposition. Mendez valued education so well. With his yearning to help and be an inspiration for his fellow San Miguelanons, he showed the Boholanos that despite financial constraints, one can still achieve their dreams. His experiences show that poverty is never a hindrance to achieve one’s aspirations. As a lawyer, he has been known to always live true to his words. His advocacy for justice and fairness led him to the NBI on 1978. After his training at the NBI academy, his first assignment was in Region 9, Zamboanga City then was transferred to Region 10, Cagayan de Oro City.

With his sheer dedication and loyalty to the bureau, he rose from the ranks, and was entrusted with different management positions, garnering several commendations, a presidential and senate commendations among them. When President Benigno Aquino III installed him as the new Director of the National Bureau of Investigation in 2014, he became the first NBI “insider” to clinch the top post coming from the ranks of the country’s foremost investigative agency. He co-authored the NBI Code of Conduct and Manual of Operations. Under his stewardship as NBI Director, he brought back the integrity of the National Bureau of Investigation wherein no less than the Office of the President is directly asking and entrusting him as Director to have the NBI handle investigations of cases of National significance.

He has organized relief projects for Bohol when the earthquake hit our province and other projects needed by farmers and fellow Boholanos. He supported programs for education such as provision of school supplies and building of classrooms and other facilities for public schools in his hometown. Despite his distance from Bohol, Atty. Mendez has never declined any help needed by Boholanos when it comes to investigation. He has been an advocate of the strong enforcement of the law and justice. Apart from his tasks and responsibilities as the NBI Director, Atty. Mendez has never neglected his responsibility to his family being conferred with the Ulirang Ama Award together with a number of known outstanding Fathers in the different sectors of society in the Philippines.