House to probe how ‘ineligible’ Sanchez was recommended for GCTA – Garbin

MANILA, Philippines – A possible House inquiry will look into why former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez was initially recommended to benefit from the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) provision for inmates when the convicted rapist-murderer is not eligible for it, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

“Yun ang ating gusto itanong (That is what we want to ask) in the exercise of our oversight function, why a certain inmate who is not eligible in the first place was included in those inmates that will benefit from the GCTA,” Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

Garbin explained that for inmates to be released earlier than their completed jail time based on the GCTA, “there must first be a factual basis, or a determination before an arithmetical computation can be applied.”

“So mukhang hindi man lang tiningnan ang (It looks like they did not check) factual determinations as provided for under the IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations) of the GCTA law,” he said, expressing agreement to the pronouncement of Malacañang  that Sanchez cannot be released earlier, since the beneficiaries of the GCTA excludes those convicted of heinous crimes.

READ: Palace backs DOJ: Sanchez not qualified for good conduct law

Garbin had earlier filed House Resolution No. 260 seeking to clarify provisions of the Republic Act 10592 enforcing the GCTA.

READ: House probe sought to determine flaws in prisoners’ good conduct law 

He said that while the RA 10592 is a “good law,” the evaluation and screening process for beneficiaries should be carefully carried out so that only eligible inmates can benefit from its provisions.

“GCTA is a good law. In fact it promotes the rehabilitation of those who were convicted of a crime, and to be able to be reformed and come back to the society, but what we are into is to exercise our oversight functions to see to it that the provisions of RA 10592 and IR are properly implemented. ‘Yung mga eligible inmates lamang ang dapat makinabang dito (Only eligible inmates should benefit from this),” he said.

Following reports that Sanchez may soon be released from the New Bilibid Prison, President Duterte had earlier directed the Bureau of Corrections and the Department of Justice to ensure that the former mayor would not benefit from the GCTA.  /muf