MANILA, Philippines – Convicts who were freed under the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) system can now be rounded up without arrest warrants with President Rodrigo Duterte himself giving the order, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
“As fugitives from justice, these convicts can be subjected to a warrantless arrest,” Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday, shortly after the President gave a 15-day grace period for the inmates.
Previously, PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the freed criminals could only be arrested with a court order or if the release orders were revoked.
READ: No court order, not arrest of freed GCTA convicts – Albayalde
As for the freed prisoners willing to surrender to the government, Banac said the police would ready to accept them, as Albayalde had already directed units nationwide.
Duterte announced the ultimatum in a press conference in Malacañang, before announcing that he was firing Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon.
Faeldon was blamed to be responsible for the release of around 1,700 inmates, some of which reportedly were convicted of heinous crimes.
READ: Duterte to freed heinous crime convicts: Surrender now
READ: Duterte to Faeldon: You’re fired
Previous reports said 22,049 prisoners have been released since 2014, of which 1,914 inmates were convicted of heinous crimes.
Of this, 797 were convicted of murder, 758 of rape, 274 of robbery with violence, 48 of drug-related charges, 29 of parricide, five of kidnapping with illegal detention, and three of destructive arson.
The issue was raised after news spread that BuCor would release 10,000 prisoners, possibly including Antonio Sanchez, former mayor of Calauan in Laguna, who was convicted of the rape and murder of Eileen Sarmenta and the murder of Allan Gomez — both students of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.
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