The Bureau of Immigration's (BI) P50-million bribery scandal is the biggest scandal to hit President Rodrigo Duterte's six-month-old administration, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Thursday.

Aguirre was pertaining to the alleged bribery try involving gambling tycoon Jack Lam and BI Assistant Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, who are also the President's fraternity brothers at San Beda College of Law's Lex Talionis Fraternitas, Inc.

Argosino and Robles were caught on CCTV receiving five paper bags reportedly containing P10 million each at a restaurant in a casino mall in Parañaque City last Nov. 27.

"Lumalabas ito ang pinakamalaking scandal ng Duterte administration," said Aguirre.

(This seems to be the biggest scandal in the Duterte administration.)

"Kahit ito ay nangyari sa mabababa (na rank), this will affect the presidency and the President himself," he added.

(Even if only low-ranking officials were involved, it will still affect the presidency and the president.)

Though Duterte is known to side with government officials who were tagged in alleged slay of drug suspects, the President has a tougher stance against corrupt officials, Aguirre said.

"Ang sabi ng pangulo sa akin... 'Pag dating sa corruption, there's no strike two. Strike one ka lang," he said.

(The President told me that when it comes to corruption, there's no strike two, only strike one.)

Because of this, Aguirre said he has recommended the filing of charges against the officials involved.

He has also issued a memorandum to Immigration chief Jaime Morente to turn over the P20-million bribe allegedly received by ex-BI intel chief Charles Calima from Argosino and Robles.

Calima has turned over the P18 million to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Argosino and Robles, meanwhile, already returned the P30 million they got from Lam.