Section 4. Powers and Functions.— The NBI shall have the following powers and functions:

1. Undertake investigation and detection of crimes and offenses enumerated under Section 5 hereof;

2. Issue subpoena for the appearance of any person for investigation or production of documents, through its officers from the ranks of Regional Director to Director;

3. Act as a national clearing house of criminal records and other related information for the benefit of the government;

4. Render technical assistance to government agencies and instrumentalities, when so requested;

5. Extend assistance in cases involving extradition and mutual legal assistance, when requested by the Department of Justice;

6. Establish an NBI Academy which shall be responsible for the recruitment, training, and development of all NBI agents and personnel, among others;

7. Establish and maintain a Forensic and Scientific Research Center which shall serve as the primary center for forensic and scientific research in furtherance of scientific knowledge in criminal investigation, detection, evidence collection and preservation, and provide the necessary training therefor;

8. Establish and maintain a Cyber Investigation and Assessment Center which shall serve as the nerve center for computer information technologies, data on cybercrime cases, computer intrusion, threats, and other related crimes or activities;

9. Establish and maintain an integrated, comprehensive, and state-of-the-art network of equipment and facilities to be used by the NBI in its criminal investigation, detection, and evidence gathering, and to provide the corresponding training in this regard;

10. Request the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines, or any other agency of the government, including government-owned and/or -controlled corporations, in its anti-crime drive. Such assistance may include the use of the agency’s personnel and facilities upon prior approval by the head of the agency concerned;

11. Conduct intelligence operations in furtherance of the foregoing powers and functions;

12. Enter into any contract or transaction for the acquisition, ownership, possession, administration, lease, disposition or acceptance of real or personal property in its name, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Justice;

13. Establish a modern NBI Clearance and Identification Center containing all derogatory and criminal records and civilian identification records, including their identifying marks and characteristics and fingerprint database, as well as dental records pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1575, entitled “Requiring Practitioners of Dentistry to Keep Records of Their Patients”;

14. Maintain, for purposes of investigative and forensic requirements of the NBI, relevant database such as ballistic records of firearms including, but not limited to, data ownership, possession, and other related identifying circumstances; and Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) databank; and

15. Perform such other functions as the President or the Secretary of Justice may assign.