MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said he is willing to leave his post if President Duterte wants him out because of the bribery scandal in the Bureau of Immigration (BI) under his watch.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) oversees the BI, where two top officials and two intelligence officers were recently sacked for being linked to a P50-million scandal involving Chinese casino mogul Jack Lam.

In an interview yesterday, Aguirre said he would step down from his post if he feels he has lost the trust and confidence of the President because of the controversy.

“I have no problem in resigning or being out of the government,” Aguirre said. “If the President loses even a single bit of trust and confidence in me, I will not insist on clinging on to this position. I will not lose a single night’s sleep if I lose this position.”

But the DOJ chief quickly clarified that he believes he has not done any wrong in handling the Lam issue.

“I know that I’m doing the right thing,” he said.

It was Aguirre who led the raid on Lam’s illegal casino in Fontana Leisure Resort, where 1,316 Chinese nationals were arrested last Nov. 24. He was also the one who exposed the attempt of Lam’s camp to bribe government officials to “fix” the irregularities in his casino operations.

The DOJ chief has recommended the dismissal from government of BI deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, who were tagged in the extortion controversy.

He lauded the President for approving his recommendation and sacking Argosino and Robles, their fraternity brothers in San Beda College of Law’s Lex Talionis and who also helped in his campaign for the presidency.

“It’s a good development,” Aguirre said of Duterte’s decision. “It’s a reiteration of his stand and campaign against corruption.”

Argosino and Robles, who surrendered to the DOJ P30 million of the alleged bribe money last week, were also charged with extortion before the Office of the Ombudsman by former police chief superintendent Wally Sombero, who supposedly served as Lam’s middleman.

But before Duterte announced their dismissal, the two officials filed their resignation last Dec. 15.

Aguirre has also ordered the dismissal of BI intelligence division chief Charles Calima Jr. and technical assistant for intelligence Edward Chan, who were also implicated in the extortion controversy.

Argosino and Robles earlier claimed that the P18 million went to Calima supposedly to be given to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente and newspaper columnist Mon Tulfo, while P2 million would go to Sombero as his commission.

Calima, Sombero, and Tulfo have all denied the allegations.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been tapped to probe the controversy, while the BI is also conducting a parallel probe. No results have been released yet.

After this extortion issue, Aguirre revealed his plan to pursue actions against corruption in the DOJ and its attached agencies in line with Duterte’s anti-corruption platform.

“To the extent that I could, I would like to make further actions against corruption because that’s one of the major orders of the President when he appointed me here,” he said.

Earlier, Aguirre said the BI is the second most corrupt organization in the department – after the Bureau of Corrections.

He bared his plan to form a task force composed of units from various law enforcement agencies for this purpose.

The DOJ chief said the group would have 100 members from the Philippine National Police (PNP), DOJ, NBI, and BI.

He explained that the creation of the inter-agency group is an offshoot of the ongoing purge at the BI.

“There are many syndicates in the BI and also in NBI,” he lamented.

The DOJ chief said he is confident the ongoing purge against corrupt officials in the department and its agencies would bear positive results.

“Here in the DOJ, there could be corrupt officials, but I believe there are much more honest ones,” he said. “If we are to fight corruption, we have to start from our own backyards.”

Duterte won’t interfere

Meanwhile, Duterte has taken a hands-off stance in the legal process involving his fraternity brothers at the immigration bureau.

Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag said cases would be filed against Argosino and Robles if the justice department finds probable cause.

“Remember that they already fired those who allegedly extorted money from Lam. Now, if and when the DOJ finds probable cause to indict the brods of the President, they would file charges,” Banaag told radio dzRB yesterday.

“I don’t think the President would impose. He is very vocal about (it). Even his brods, colleagues, family members, who would be engaged in corruption would not be spared,” she added.

Asked if their dismissal from service is enough to save them from legal liability, Banaag replied: “Not really.”

“If and when findings of the investigating team would say that there is probable cause to file criminal charges against them, then they would be filing criminal charges also. We will wait for the investigation report of the DOJ,” Banaag said.

Argosino and Robles were accused of extorting P50 million from Lam.

The Chinese casino operator allegedly tried to bribe immigration officials to secure the release of the more than 1,300 undocumented Chinese nationals working for him.

Last Tuesday, Argosino and Robles turned over P30 million out of the P50 million they allegedly received from Lam’s camp. They claimed they were just framed up while doing an investigation.

President Duterte has ordered the dismissal of Argosino, Robles, and Calima from the service and assured the public that they would be accountable for their actions.

“Consistent with this electoral campaign, I have directed the dismissal of the two associate commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration who are now tainted with corruption,” the President said last Friday. “They will face the full force of the law.”

Duterte also wants the properties of Lam sequestered, saying the Chinese businessman has been cheating on his taxes.