MANILA, Philippines – Senator Richard Gordon lauded on Thursday President Rodrigo Duterte’s prompt action on the “abusive” implementation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law, which is proof that the Chief Executive’s ears “are on the ground.”
As chairman of the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee, Gordon is leading the investigation on the controversial law.
Sen. Richard Gordon leads the hearing on the GCTA law on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2019. Seated beside him is Senate President Vicente Sotto III. (Photo from a video posted on Gordon’s Facebook account)
He noted that during the hearings, sacked Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon “manifested incompetence and abuse of authority.”
On Wednesday, the President fired Faeldon amid the controversy surrounding the release of nearly 2,000 heinous crime convicts based on the GCTA law.
Duterte also ordered the 1,914 released heinous crime convicts, including those convicted killing the Chiong sisters in Cebu, to surrender and register with the BuCor or be considered fugitives from the law.
READ: Duterte fires Faeldon, orders 1,900 freed convicts to surrender
“This shows that his ears are on the ground, acting firmly in addressing the people’s concern about the erroneous release of convicts who poses threats to the society,” Gordon said in a statement.
“This will also assuage the victims’ families who will be spared from mental anguish, anxiety and fear for their safety,” he added.
The Senate has been investigating the implementation of the GCTA law which nearly resulted in the early release of rape and murder convict and former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez.
Sanchez was sentenced to seven life terms for the rape and murder of University of the Philippines-Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of her schoolmate Allan Gomez in 1993.
“Since Day 1 of our investigation, we have been calling for the rearrest of the convicts to assure the public that the country’s justice and penal system is working. This could have been easier if the prison records are fully digitalized as mandated by law,” Gordon pointed out. /gsg
READ: Bill filed to stop abuse of terms of convicts’ release from prison