On his first day of work, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” C. Remulla identified three attached agencies of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that are “problematic” and “need help.”
During the flag-raising ceremony at DOJ on Padre Faura Street in Ermita, Manila, on Monday, July 4, Secretary Remulla named the three agencies as the Land Registration Authority, the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
First, he assured DOJ officials and employees: “You can expect me to be totally committed to our case, totally committed to what the Department of Justice stands for and what we should stand for.”
Remulla said that he has been informed that there is a syndicate operating at the LRA.
“Hindi ko nilalahat ang lahat. Sa LRA sasabihin ko po 95 percent ng tao maayos baka 99 percent pa. Ngunit yung isang prosyento na hindi nag-aayos ay nababahiran ang lahat. Talagang mabigat po ang trabaho (I am not making generalizations. I believe that 95 or maybe 99 percent of those at the LRA are clean. But the one percent who are corrupt stains everyone. It is a heavy task),” he said.
At the BI, he said that there are a number of syndicates operating, including those engaged in extortion, protection, and human trafficking.
“The sad thing about the Bureau of Immigration is that they exercise sovereign powers. It is the face of the country and we Filipinos have a duty to protect our own country. What more for the frontline organization that people see when they enter and leave the country?” said Remulla.
At the BuCor, Remulla said there continues to be illegal activities taking place inside the country’s prisons.
“Hanggang ngayon walang tigil ang activities na nangyayari na talagang nakakasira sa ating lipunan (Up to now these activities have not stopped and have been destroying our society),” he lamented.
He said that since he was named by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. to head the DOJ, he has been studying the work that needs to be done at the department and at its 10 attached agencies.
“Pag babasahin natin ang lahat at papakinggan ang briefing, official and unofficial, talaga namang mabigat ang trabaho at hamon na binigay satin (When we read and hear all of the briefings, official and unofficial, it is a heavy task and challenge that was given to me),” he said.
But he said he believes he was chosen by the President “because I can get things done.”
“That is the ultimate reason probably why I was chosen by the President and that I accept challenges. I have accepted all the challenges given me in my whole political life and probably my whole professional life,” he said.