MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the return of heinous crime convicts who were released from detention due to the controversial good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law.
Duterte on Wednesday said he will give thousands of convicts released 15 days to surrender.
“I would address myself ‘yung lahat nakulong at na-release sa batas na ito, 1,700 of you, you surrender and have yourself registered with the BuCor (Bureau of Corrections),” Duterte said.
“I will give you 15 days liberty, provided you make yourself available anytime that you will be called for investigation to have a re-computation, or if there’s an investigation of corruption that you cooperate fully,” he added.
Duterte said if the released convicts refuse to surrender within his ultimatum, the government would consider them fugitives.
“And you will be treated as a criminal who is evading the law and, well, you know things can go wrong. If I were you, mag-surrender na kayo to the nearest police or military detachment wherever you are now,” he added.
Following Duterte’s ultimatum, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it will “immediately” locate heinous crime convicts freed from prison under the GCTA law.
“Tracker teams will now be deployed to locate these convicts, who will be treated as fugitives if they choose not to surrender,” the PNP said. “We will also receive and account those who will surrender within 15 days.”
“As fugitives from justice, these convicts can be subjected to warrantless arrest,” it added.
Data from the BuCor showed a total of 1,914 heinous crime convicts were released through the law since 2014.
The implementation of Republic Act 10592, which contains provisions of GCTA, has come under scrutiny after the Justice department announced that convicted rapist-killer Antonio Sanchez might be released from prison due to good behavior./PN
