8 convicts freed through GCTA surrender in Northern Mindanao

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– At least eight persons convicted of various heinous crimes in Northern Mindanao but released under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law turned themselves in to authorities, police said Tuesday.

The individuals voluntarily went to the police days after President Duterte ordered them to surrender to law enforcement agencies, which would facilitate their way back to the penal institution, where they served their respective sentences.

“All of them (were convicted of) heinous crimes such as murder, rape, rape and robbery, robbery with homicide, and rape and arson,” said Lt. Col. Mardy Hortillosa, police regional spokesperson.

He said many of these freed convicts came from the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo City, Davao del Norte and Iwahig Penal Prison Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Some of those who surrendered have been sent back to their respective penitentiary facilities while others were still waiting to be transported, Hortillosa said.

Hortillosa said they could not give the exact number of the freed prisoners who have returned since it was the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group which handled them.

He said though that most of the prisoners came from Bukidnon, Camiguin, and Lanao del Norte.

“Their (earliest) release started on December 2018 while the latest was on April 17, 2019,” he said.

One of those who surrendered was Larry Canunay, 49, of Purok 10 Puerta, Barangay Lurugan, Valencia City, said Valencia police chief Lt. Col. Surki Sereñas.

Sereñas said Canunay, who was convicted for rape and arson, went to this office on Sept. 6. He was serving his sentence at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm since 1991, until his release through the GCTA on March 22, 2019.

“[Canunay said] he never hesitated to surrender early upon hearing the directive of the President to all convicts released through GCTA,” Sereñas.

“We will double our efforts to arrest and put back these personalities in prison if they would not surrender within the period specified by [President Duterte],” said Police 10 regional director Brigadier General Rafael Santiago Jr./lzb