2 freed rape convicts show up in Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol –– Two convicts released from prisons through Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law showed up at police station in Cortes town in Bohol on Saturday morning.

Police Staff Sergeant Joel Orapa, chief investigator of Cortes Police Station, said Reynaldo Mercado and Melchor Jumamil, surrendered at the station past 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 7.

Mercado, 51, and Jumamil, both residents of Purok 7 in Barangay Upper de la Paz in Cortes town, were co-accused of a rape case in 1987 and were later found guilty of two counts of rape.

Mercado, who enjoyed nine months of freedom, was released last Dec. 18, 2018 from the Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog town, Southern Leyte after 31 years in prison.

Orapa said Mercado’s release came early because of special time service allowance for loyalty for not escaping from jail a day after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” struck Eastern Visayas in November 2013.

Jumamil, 55, was released last April 19 after 32 years of prison at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

Their jail releases were based on the GCTA law or Republic Act 10592 as approved by the Department of Justice on a memorandum dated March 12, 2019, issued by Bureau of Corrections Director General Undersecretary Nicanor E. Faeldon.

They surrendered because they were afraid they might get killed.

They would be turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit said Orapa.

Duterte has ordered the 1,914 heinous crimes convicts freed over the years of implementation of the law cutting down their prison time due to their good conduct to surrender to authorities.

Mr. Duterte said they were given 15 days of liberty provided they made themselves available for re-computation of their GCTA and investigation for corruption, or they would be treated as fugitives.

Data from the Bureau of Corrections show that more than 22,000 persons deprived of liberty with good conducts were freed, cutting short their sentences.