MANILA, Philippines—The number of heinous crime convicts, who had been freed on account of a now controversial system of computing good conduct time, had risen to 299, according to the Philippine National Police on Thursday, Sept. 12.
The previous number was 281.
The Mimaropa region had the most surrendered convicts, 48, followed by Cagayan Valley, 35.
These were followed by Central Visayas (29), Ilocos Region (26), Central Luzon (24); Bicol Region (21); Western Visayas (18), Zamboanga Peninsula (16), the Cordillera Administrative Region and Metro Manila (15), Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Northern Mindanao (13 each), Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) and Caraga Region (nine each); and Eastern Visayas (eight).
The PNP said those who surrendered were convicted of rape, murder, robbery with homicide, robbery with rape, dangerous drugs, homicide, murder and robbery, attempted rape with homicide, murder, homicide, double frustrated murder and grave threats, parricide, car theft, robbery, rape with homicide, arson, kidnapping with murder, frustrated homicide and kidnapping.
According to the PNP, most surrendered convicts had been in jail for rape (95) and murder (101).
At least 63 of the 281 convicts had been turned over to the Bureau of Corrections, which released them in the first place.
Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said some of the convicts are still in police custody as some regions are far from the New Bilibid Prison.
“We’re gathering those who surrendered because the regions are far from BuCor,” Banac said. “We don’t want it piecemeal. If there are many already, then they would be turned over,” he said in Filipino.
The release of convicts on the basis of good conduct time allowance became controversial after it was learned that rapist-murderer Antonio Sanchez, who has been sentenced to 200 years in prison, would be among those who would be released. /muf /TSB
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