President Rodrigo Duterte might not have been aware some 40 personnel of the Bureau of Immigration who were allegedly involved in the "pastillas" scheme have returned to their work, Malacanang said on Thursday.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said the alleged corrupt Immigration officer went back to the agency after their six-month suspension had lapsed while investigations against them continue.

"The answer is obvious, the President may not know that they were not yet dismissed," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing when asked if Duterte was aware that the 43 Immigration officers allegedly involved in bribery using money wrapped in rolled paper have returned to their work.

Duterte, in his recent, State of the Nation Address, mentioned how he fired the 43 Immigration personnel allegedly involved in the pastillas scheme.

With Duterte's statement against the alleged erring individuals, Roque said the Department of Justice, which supervises the BI, should know what to do with them.

"Maybe the effect of what he has said, that's the mandate of the DOJ, for the CID (Commissioner of Immgration and Deportation) to do everything to dismiss them as soon as possible. The pastillas scheme is unacceptable; they should really be fired," Roque said. Celerina Monte/DMS