DOJ, DILG complete, sign revised IRR of GCTA law

DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra (L) and DILG Secretary Eduardo Año present the signed revised IRR of the GCTA Law on Monday, September 16, 2019. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO/TETCH TORRES-TUPAS

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have completed and signed the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act 10592, or the law that increases the time slashed from the prison term of convicts due to good behavior.

Included in the revised IRR is a clarified provision stating “recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapists and those convicted of heinous crimes” are disqualified to benefit from the good conduct time allowance (GCTA).

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra explained that as a guide on what heinous crimes are, the revised IRR has adopted the definition of heinous crimes under Republic Act 7659 or the Death Penalty Law as well as Supreme Court jurisprudence.

Under the Death Penalty Law, heinous crimes are the following: murder, rape, big-time drug trafficking, kidnapping for ransom, treason, piracy, qualified bribery, parricide, infanticide, plunder, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, robbery with violence or intimidation, qualified vehicle theft, and arson.

Guevarra said a Management Screening and Evaluation Committee (MSEC) will look into the time credits and grant of time allowances to entitled persons deprived of liberties (PDLs). Aside from DOJ, Guevarra said accredited civil society organization will also be part of the deliberation.

And as part of transparency, Guevarra said the revised IRR included the publication of the names of PDLs that may be due for release because of GCTA on the website of concerned government agencies such as DOJ and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

Meanwhile, the DOJ-DILG review committee will have 60 more days to complete their work on the Uniform Policy and Guidelines regarding computation of credits and allowances. This is the same committee that completed the revised IRR of RA 10592.

The creation of the joint committee stemmed after reports came out that former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez – serving the penalty of nine counts of reclusion perpetua – was due for release on good conduct.

Last month’s news of Sanchez’s impending release resulted in public outrage that eventually spawned a Senate investigation on BuCor and New Bilibid Prison, and led to the cancellation of the rapist-murderer’s early freedom. /kga