DILG defends revised rules on GCTA law amid petition

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) defended on Tuesday the revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law it crafted with the Department of Justice (DOJ) amid a petition filed before the Supreme Court by some inmates questioning its legality.

DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said part of the technical working group that crafted the IRR are officers of the Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology “who have the necessary experience and technical expertise on this matter.”

READ: Bilibid inmates challenge legality of revised IRR on GCTA

“The revised IRR addresses the many inadequacies of the old IRR that were abused and taken advantage of by corrupt correctional officials. We will be working closely with our statutory counsel, the Office of the Solicitor General, and the DOJ in vigorously defending the new IRR before the Supreme Court,” he said in a statement.

Malaya also stressed that the new IRR is “one crucial step in the reform of the BuCor.”

He added that the DILG and the DOJ have worked hard to promulgate the new IRR to clarify the “ambiguous provisions” of the GCTA law that have “led to past abuse in its implementation.”

But he also said that the DILG welcomes the petition.

“While we are confident of our legal position, the final arbiter will be the highest court of the land whose decision we shall honor and respect,” said Malaya. /je