1,914 freed convicts placed on immigration lookout

MANILA, Philippines – The nearly 2,000 freed heinous crime convicts would be placed under an immigration watchlist amid President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for them to surrender, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said during the resumption of the Senate probe into the controversial law on good conduct time allowance (GCTA) Thursday.

Guevarra said that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has already secured the list of names of prematurely released heinous crime convicts.

He said the DOJ would issue an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) and address it to the BI.

“The Department of Justice (DOJ) will issue the ILBO…and that will be addressed to the BI. So, we will do that immediately,” Guevarra said.

He likewise said that “not more than 10” PDLs have surrendered following the Duterte’s call.

The President earlier ordered the 1,914 released heinous crime convicts, including those convicted for the death of the Chiong sisters in Cebu, to surrender and register with the BuCor or be considered fugitives.

The Senate is currently investigating the implementation of the GCTA law following the aborted 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 students Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of her schoolmate Allan Gomez in 1993.

Several senators have been calling for the rearrest of the 1,914 freed heinous crime convicts who they said were wrongly released through the GCTA. /gsg