Government officials and workers who want to get rich quick should just leave public service, Malacañang said Tuesday a day after President Duterte gave a sermon to immigration personnel implicated in the pastillas scam.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the President sent a strong message about the need to stop corruption when he tried to feed the immigration staff with money wrapped in a bond paper like the Filipino delicacy.

Around 40 immigration personnel either suspended or charged by the Office of the Ombudsman over the bribery scandal were summoned by the President to a meeting in the Palace Monday. They were reportedly silent while the President addressed them.

The immigration bureau has recently been placed under scrutiny after several personnel were linked to the alleged pastillas bribery scam.  Chinese workers allegedly paid bribes to some immigration officials to facilitate their smooth entry to the country.

"I don't think there is anything that it's only for show. The President is sending a message, itigil ang corruption. At noong ginawa niya, I think lahat ng taong gobyerno narinig ang mensahe (The President is sending a message -- stop corruption. When he did that, I think all government personnel heard the message)," Roque said during a Palace press briefing about the President's attempt to feed the immigration staff with money.

"Kaya nga po ang pakiusap kung gusto ninyong yumaman, huwag kayo magtrabaho sa gobyerno, magtrabaho kayo sa pribado dahil sa susunod na dalawang taon, hindi po tatantanan ng Presidente ang mga kurakot (That's why the appeal is if you want to get rich, don't work in government. Better work in the private sector because in the next two years, the President will pursue the corrupt without letup). That's the message very well received," he added.

Roque said the President stayed calm while he discussed his campaign against corruption in government during the meeting with the immigration staff. 

He said Duterte asked his aide to distribute a box full of "pastillas” containing cash to each of the immigration personnel at the start of the meeting. Duterte wanted them to eat the money but did not insist out of respect to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra who was present during the Palace meeting, according to Roque.

"Ang sabi niya baka ako makasuhan dahil nandiyan si SOJ so hindi naman ninya pinilit na kainin ng mga taga BI yung pastillas na may pera (He said he might be prosecuted since the Secretary of Justice was present so he did not insist on asking the BI personnel to eat the pastillas with money),” he said.

The President also told the immigration personnel facing corruption complaints to defend themselves or else they might end up in prison, according to Roque. 

“Matapos po niyang ipa-distribute iyong pastillas eh nagkaroon nga po ng pangaral si Presidente na dapat talagang matigil ang korapsiyon ‘no – hindi lang po sa CID kung hindi sa buong gobyerno (After the pastillas were distributed, the President gave s sermon that corruption must stop not only in the immigration commission but in the entire government),” he said.

He said Guevarra assured the President that the task force would continue the corruption probe in the Bureau of Immigration, an attached agency of the DOJ. The justice secretary also pressed for the passage of the bill amending the old immigration law and modernizing the bureau to help address corruption.

Roque admitted that he did not know what happened to the "pastillas," saying the immigration personnel could have brought them home as a "reminder" of the President to end corruption.

Asked if Immigration commissioner Jaime Morente continues to enjoy the President's trust and confidence in the wake of the pastillas scam under his watch, Roque said all presidential appointees serve at the pleasure of the President. 

"Kapag wala na ang tiwala, hindi na po sila maninilbihan (If the trust is gone, they will no longer render service)," he said.

The President recently ordered the justice department to probe corruption allegations in the entire government and prosecute those involved. Duterte has expressed exasperation over the rampant corruption as he vowed to use the remainder of his term to clean up the government.