JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has recommended to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. two lawyers to head “problematic agencies” Bureau of Immigration (BI) and Land Registration Authority (LRA).

BI and LRA are attached government agencies of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Remulla recommended Atty. Joel Viado to BI, while Atty. Gerry Sirios to LRA.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has yet to act on his recommendations.

Viado graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP), while Sirios finished law at the University of Perpetual Help.

In his first flag-raising ceremony last month, Remulla identified the BI, LRA, and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) as three problematic attached agencies of the DOJ.

Remulla, who was an elected congressional representative in the province of Cavite, disclosed the existence of a well-entrenched “syndicate” in the LRA that operates with impunity.

“Kayo ba dito na kasama ko ay papayag na tumagal pa ang sindikatong ito? Marahil darating ang isang araw na lahat ng tahanan natin ay makuha na nila kapag ating pinayagan na sila ay manaig pa sa ating lipunan, yan po ang isang problema sa LRA,” Remulla said.

At the BI, Remulla noted the pestering prevalence of extortion and human trafficking activities involving bureau executives and personnel.

The BI was rocked by controversies one after another, with the “Pastillas Scheme” hogging headlines the most.

Under the Pastillas Scheme, Chinese visitors can seamlessly enter the country in exchange for bribes.

A Chinese citizen pays a P10,000 “service fee” – P2,000 of which will allegedly be shared among BI’s Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) officials, duty Immigration supervisor, and terminal heads.

It was also disclosed during Senate hearings that blacklisted Chinese fugitives would pay as much as P200,000 to “freely” enter the country.