2 freed convicts surrender to Valencia, Bukidnon police

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– Two inmates freed through the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law, surrendered to authorities in Valencia City, Bukidnon on Monday.

Supt. Surki Serenes, Valencia city police chief, said inmates Larry Canunay, 48, and Elias Berdin, 61, went calmly when policemen fetched them in their respective villages.

Canunay was convicted for rape and arson on March 22, 1991, and had served his sentence for 28 years at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo City, until he was released last March 22, 2019.

Berdin, on the other hand, was convicted for murder and frustrated murder on August 5, 1993, and had served 26 years at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan, until he was released last July 16, 2019.

Serenes said Canunay and Berdin immediately contacted their barangay officials after news that President Duterte ordered the re-arrest of all heinous crime convicts freed under the GCTA law.

“They seemed to be resigned that they are going back to prison where they stayed for half of their lives,” Serenes said.

Serenes added that both convicts complained that when they got back to their respective villages, their friends were no longer around or have died while they were in prison.

“They said they stayed mostly in their houses during the entire time of their release and rarely go out,” he said.

Serenes said Canunay and Berdin would be returned immediately to the prison farms where they used to serve their respective sentences, once the police station receives instructions from higher headquarters./lzb