Not more than 10 out of the 1,914 convicts released under the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance law have surrendered hours after President Duterte issued a 15-day ultimatum or be killed.
Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra disclosed this during yesterday’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the GCTA law or Republic Act No. 10592 presided over by Sen. Richard J. Gordon.
“I have just been informed a few minutes ago, confidentially meron but we cannot mention their names,” Guevarra said in response to Sen. Ping Lacson.
Guevarra also told Lacson that he would issue an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order to prevent the departure of the 1,914 convicts at the country’s sea and airports.
The ILBO will be implemented by the Bureau of Immigration, Guevarra said.
He said he hoped others would follow “the not more than 10’’ convicts who had surrendered.
Gueverra also said that the DoJ has just received a list of Persons Deprived of Liberty – referring to the 1,914 convicts – that was “erroneously released on account of the GCTA.’’
The Bureau of Corrections under the supervision of the DoJ will re-compute the sentences of those who will surrender.
Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said he supports Duterte’s order for the arrest of the 1,914 convicts.
Gordon said the 1,914 convicts should be re-arrested or voluntarily surrender as families of their victims fear that something might happen to them.
“It goes without saying’ that the government’s agencies such as the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Bureau of Jail and Management Penology to strictly follow the President’s 15-day order to surrender,” Gordon said.
He, however, said he does not favor the presidential “shoot to kill’’ directive.
Meanwhile, yesterday’s hearing on the GCTA law proceeded without the presence of sacked Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon.
Gordon said Faeldon, through a lawyer, pleaded to be excused from the third Senate hearing on the GCTA.
“I got a text nakikiusap na kung maari hindi na daw dadalo si Faeldon. Tinanong ko ang mga kapwa ko senador. Importante na makarating siya pero ang present attitude namin is medyo magnanimous,” Gordon said.
Unless there is information that requires Faeldon’s presence in the hearing, Gordon said they would not put any sanctions on him at the moment. “He had resigned and we will leave it at that for the moment,” Gordon said. (Mario Casayuran and Hannah Torregoza)
