PNP: 10,000 ‘transformed’ inmates not a threat to community

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac INQUIRER.net file photo / Cathrine Gonzales

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) believes that the over 10,000 inmates who may soon be released from prison will not be a threat to the community, as they have already gone through a “transformation” of sorts during jail time.

“After having served their time sa (in the) corrections, naniniwala tayo na hindi naman sila security threat sa komunidad (we believe that they are not a security threat to the community),” Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, spokesperson of the PNP, told reporters in a chance interview at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

He assured the public, however, that should these inmates taint their hands again in a crime, the police will not hesitate to bring them back behind bars.

For Banac, these persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have already went through the punishment entailed with their previous illegal activities.

He also said the police and the community will have a way to monitor the inmates should they return to their previous lives as criminals.

“Kung muli ay gumawa sila ng krimen, hindi tayo mangingimi na muli silang arestuhin at sampahan sila ng kaso (If they commit a crime again, we will not hesitate to arrest them and file a case against them),” he said.

Over 10,000 inmates may benefit from the Republic Act 10592 or the law that increased the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) given to inmates.

The GCTA provides additional deducted timeframe from a PDL’s sentence in prison as a reward for his good behavior while serving jail time. /je

RELATED STORIES:

Antonio Sanchez, more than 10k other inmates to get out of prison ‘soon’

BuCor chief: Sanchez ‘may not be qualified to go home’ yet