AFP ready to assist on tracking freed convicts under GCTA

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Thursday that it is ready to give assistance and support to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Philippine National Police (PNP) in tracking down heinous crime convicts who were freed from prison under the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law.

“We are here, ready to render assistance and give support to the DOJ, the PNP, and other relevant agencies of government when so requested,” AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a statement.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the freed convicts to turn themselves in to the nearest police station or to the military. If they failed to do so within 15 days from Wednesday, September 4, they would be considered fugitives.

Arevalo said they are committed to ensuring that “communities are safe and that justice is served as this is in pursuit of our constitutional mandate of protecting the people and securing the state.”

Data from DOJ showed that 1,914 heinous crime convicts were released under the GCTA law since 2014. /kga