Ricardo de Leon

Ricardo F. De Leon is the director general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) in the Philippines. He has held the post since the beginning of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration in 2022. His selection was announced even before Marcos took his oath of office.

De Leon, a retired police general, was president of the Philippine Public Safety College when he was appointed to the NICA post.

The NICA chief belongs to the Philippine Military Academy “Matatag” Class of 1971, and counts former senators Panfilo Lacson and Gregorio Honasan II as his mistahs or classmates. De Leon also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and a master’s degree in management from the Philippine Christian University. He later earned a PhD in peace and security studies from the Bicol University.

In the Philippine National Police, De Leon served a variety of posts, including chief of the National Capital Region Police Office and Deputy Chief of Operations. After retiring from the service, he was appointed the first non-Muslim and non-Mindanaoan president of the Mindanao State University. He later served as executive vice president of the Centro Escolar University.