The Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the alleged payoffs in the Bureau of Immigration (BI) involving over 1,000 Chinese nationals who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the illegal online gambling operations in Pampanga.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II assured there will be no sacred cows in the investigation.

"We will leave no stone unturned and there will be no sacred cows. We will hold those found responsible accountable," he said.

Aguirre earlier considered letting the BI investigate its own ranks, but opted to instead give the task to the NBI to avoid any suspicion of whitewash.

Some 1,316 Chinese nationals were nabbed recently in illegal online casino of Chinese gaming mogul Jack Lam at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

Aguirre has said that some of the arrested Chinese nationals offered P100,000 to P250,000 per head for their release.

More than 70 of them managed to escape by supposedly jumping over the walls of their temporary detention facility at Fontana Leisure Park and Casino Hotel. More than half of them were either rearrested or have surrendered.

The DOJ chief said the detained foreigners could not escape without the help of authorities.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said that Lam sent feelers to settle his obligations with the government. Duterte set other conditions for Lam's return.

Lam left the country after he allegedly offered bribe to Aguirre, who declined and exposed the bribery attempt. DMS