Just abolish GCTA law – Gatchalian

BUT WHERE’S FAELDON? Lawyer Fredric Anthony Santos (seated, in dark jacket), legal division chief of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), gives updates of the status of prisoners who could be covered by the good conduct time allowance process, at a press conference in Muntinlupa City on Thursday. Expected to face the press was BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon, but he did not show up to answer lingering questions particularly about the aborted release of rape-murder convict and former Calauan, Laguna, Mayor Antonio Sanchez. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — “Let’s simplify our lives, just abolish that GCTA (Good Conduct Time Allowance).”

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian suggested this on Friday amid controversies surrounding Republic Act 10592, the law that increased the GCTA given to an inmate’s prison sentence.

“Let’s simplify our lives, just abolish that GCTA. Para walang ng corruption at mga lagay lagay sa loob ng BuCor,” Gatchalian said on Twitter.

RA 10592 was thrust under the public spotlight following the reported release of convicted rapist-murderer former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez because of good behavior.

Sanchez and his six henchmen were sentenced to seven life imprisonments for the brutal killing of two University of the Philippines students in the 1990s.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, earlier revealed that several Chinese drug lords have also been released by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) due to good conduct.

READ: Lacson: 4 Chinese drug convicts released from Bilibid in June

“Gagawin ng lahat ng mga drug lords at rapist makalabas ng kulungan. Maglalagay talaga yan,” Gatchalian’s tweet further read.

Let's simplify our lives, just abolish that GCTA. Para walang ng corruption at mga lagay lagay sa loob ng BuCor. Gagawin ng lahat ng mga drug lords at rapist makalabas ng kulungan. Maglalagay talaga yan.

— Sherwin Gatchalian (@stgatchalian) August 30, 2019

Some of his colleagues have filed a separate resolution calling for an investigation into the implementation of the said law. The Senate is scheduled to conduct its probe early next week.

Some senators have also filed bills seeking to amend the GCTA law.

READ: Bill filed to stop abuse of terms of convicts’ release from prison