Solon wants people behind GCTA fiasco charged

PBA Rep. Jericho Rosales. (Photo from his Facebook account)

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker on Tuesday recommended the filing of criminal and administrative cases against officials who pushed for the release of heinous crime convicts under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law.

During the House justice committee hearing on the GCTA law, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) revealed that 2,160 heinous crime convicts were released from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) since 2013 until August 20 this year.

Under Section 1 of the GCTA law or the Republic Act No. 10592, it was stated that “persons charged with heinous crimes are excluded from the coverage” of the law.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles said those behind the release of heinous crime convicts should be subjected under the penal provisions of the GCTA law.

Section 6 of the GCTA law provides that public officers or employees that violate the law will be punished with one year imprisonment, fined P100,000 and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

“If this becomes a full-blown investigation, the penal provisions must be considered in the case that we should recommend criminal suit versus the officials who processed [the release of convicts] automatically,” Nograles said.

Nograles asked the BuCor to provide a list of names of the members of the management, screening and evaluation committee (MSEC), which processes the release of convicts under the GCTA law.

“If they erroneously recommended [the release] then that erroneous recommendation of PDLs [persons deprived of liberty] who are guilty of heinous crimes should be subject of criminal and administrative complaints,” the lawmaker said. /jpv

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