MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Sunday urged local government officials to assist the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the voluntary surrender of freed heinous crime convicts under the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law.
This came after President Rodrigo Duterte gave the over 1,900 heinous crime convicts released under the controversial GCTA law 15 days to surrender to the nearest police station or military camp.
“We enjoin all Local Government Officials, including Barangay Officials, to assist the PNP in the voluntary surrender of the heinous crime convicts. If you are aware of any convict in your area of responsibility, you may escort those who wish to surrender to the nearest Police Station to ensure their safety and well-being,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a statement.
“We also call on the public to facilitate the voluntary surrender of these individuals,” he added.
DOJ spokesperson Undersecretary Markk Perete said that as of 12 midnight, Sunday, 76 convicts freed under the GCTA law are now in the custody of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), an agency under the justice department.
Año said his office is “pleased” with the growing number of heinous crime convicts who have surrendered following Duterte’s order.
“We are pleased with the growing number of heinous crime convicts who have heeded the President’s directive to voluntarily surrender to authorities for a re-evaluation and recomputation of their Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) by the Department of Justice (DOJ),” the interior secretary said.
Furthermore, Año urged those who have yet to surrender to do so, saying that once the 15-day deadline lapses, “the remaining convicts will be the subject of a man-hunt by special tracker teams of the PNP without the need of a warrant because they are evading the full service of their respective sentences.”
“We urge all those who were released under the GCTA to voluntarily surrender to the nearest Philippine National Police (PNP) station or directly to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). The PNP unit concerned shall immediately transfer their custody to the BuCor,” Año said.
The interior secretary also assured that once the re-computation of the GCTA has been finalized, those proven qualified and have served their complete sentences will be released immediately.
“Through the Joint Review Committee, both the DOJ and the DILG are working overtime to review the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 10592 and the BuCor Uniform Manual to plug the loopholes therein and ensure that only those truly deserving is entitled to the GCTA,” the interior secretary said. /je