GCTA fix on track

President Duterte’s decision to relieve BuCor director general Nicanor Faeldon was a proactive measure to thwart further trouble

True good conduct A forlorn Nicanor Paz Pido, a convicted inmate released from Davao Penal Colony via the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law voluntarily surrenders to the Pasay Police Station after President Rodrigo Duterte imposed a 15-day deadline for the surrender of released heinous crime convicts. Another convict, Jesus Ranoco Negro, yielded to the Bogo City Police Station in Cebu. YUMMIE DINGDING

President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for almost 2,000 convicts wrongfully released by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) for supposed good behavior yielded positive results as some of the freed prisoners surrendered yesterday, while police teams were immediately deployed to track down the others.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra bared this yesterday during the continuation of the Senate inquiry into Republic Act 10592 or the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law and the botched release of convicted rapist and murderer former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez, presided over by Sen. Richard Gordon.

“I have just been informed a few minutes ago, confidentially there are, but we cannot mention their names,” Guevarra said during the hearing.

Pressed on how many have surrendered, Guevarra replied “not more than 10.” He also did not name those who surrendered.

The Justice Secretary also stressed that President Duterte’s decision to relieve BuCor director general Nicanor Faeldon was a proactive measure to thwart further trouble.

“Terminating Faeldon is an initial step to prevent the spread of a dangerous wildfire,” Guevarra said without elaborating.

The President has already ordered an in-depth probe of the BuCor issue.

At the hearing, Gordon also chided BuCor Correctional Superintendent Maria Fe Marquez over former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez’s lifestyle inside his cell.

The senator reprimanded Marquez after the latter insisted before the Senate investigation that the BuCor officials are “performing their duties well.”

“Sir, I would like to correct the minds of everyone, sir. That we at the Bureau of Corrections are performing our duties well, and I think that if the committee finds one or two or whoever guilty, then that will be the time that we think of other persons because generally speaking, I’ve been in the bureau for more than 24 years and I’ve worked with a lot of hardworking people, sir,” Marquez said.

However, he pointed out that the committee is investigating the system and not the personalities.

“You have not answered the question on the picture of Sanchez that he is wearing other clothes and not the usual uniform. You never answered that. And I’ll tell you something else. Maybe there are many good people working there, but I’ll tell you something. You released one Chinese even before the tenure of director general Faeldon,” Gordon lambasted Marquez.

Guevarra said they will issue an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) to the Bureau of Immigration immediately to prevent inmates from leaving the country.

“We got the list of those PDL (persons deprived of liberty) who were convicted of heinous crimes but were prematurely released on account of GCTA this morning, and we have forwarded it to the Bureau of Immigration for appropriate action, more particularly for the issuance, or structurally the Department of Justice which will issue the ILBO and that will be addressed to the Bureau of Immigration. So, we will do that immediately,” he said.

The surrender apparently came just hours after the President gave a 15-day ultimatum for inmates to peacefully present themselves back to authorities on Wednesday night.

The President even offered a P1 million bounty for each of the inmates who fail to surrender and warned that they will be considered wanted dead or alive.

“I want to kill them, but I don’t have the opportunity. But given, I will execute them. No problem. As a matter of fact, I can take their place inside the Muntinlupa. So, better to just surrender,” Mr. Duterte said during an impromptu press conference Wednesday night.

Those who would heed his call to peacefully surrender, meanwhile, “will be treated in good faith.”

On the other hand, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go urged to fix the correctional facilities and treat the inmates inside the cells equally.

“To the DoJ (Department of Justice), do your sworn duties. I am sure you are very competent. Let us fix our correctional facilities,” Go said.

“All prisoners, rich or poor, must be treated equally. They should be all equal,” he added.

Go reiterated his support for the rearrest of all recidivists and prisoners convicted of heinous crimes who were released due to the wrong application of the GCTA Law.

He pointed out that the government actions must not be limited to the rearrest as there were still alleged GCTA-for-sale inside the country’s penitentiary.

“We don’t have to stop there. There are still allegations of GCTA for sale. There’s still special treatment inside the jails. A lot of contraband are still entering. This is what happens. This is the reality. We have to get to the bottom of this to finally end this,” Go said.

The senator also told his colleagues to immediately amend the GCTA Law to address contentious issues and vague provisions in the application of the law.

“To my fellow senators, we have to do our part for the people. Let us heed the call of the nation. We need to amend the law immediately to make it clear that recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapees, and those convicted of heinous crimes cannot be granted time allowances,” he said.

Aside from that, BuCor was also urged to be transparent in their release of persons deprived of liberty.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), on the other hand, deployed tracker teams to account for the inmates in compliance to the President’s directive.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde also said that all police units nationwide were directed to track down the prisoners.

“To ensure inter-agency coordination, we will designate a liaison officer with the DoJ and BuCor,” Albayalde said.

Albayalde said the inmates can proceed to the nearest police station where they are and they will be processed accordingly.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the inmates will be considered fugitives if they fail to surrender.

“Tracker teams will now be deployed to locate these convicts, who will be treated as fugitives if they choose not to surrender,” Banac said in a statement.

“As fugitives from justice, these convicts can be subjected to warrantless arrest,” he added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), for its part, vowed to extend active support to the DoJ and PNP in tracking down the inmates.

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

During a previous Senate hearing, sacked BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon admitted that a total of 1,914 inmates convicted of heinous crimes had been released from the New Bilibid Prison under GCTA.

Several senators have welcomed President Duterte’s decision to fire Faeldon.

In a text message, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Mr. Duterte’s move is expected, but he has asked the President to hold other BuCor officials, who are responsible for the release of the detainees, liable.

“Expected. The controversy is untenable,” he said.

When asked if Mr. Duterte’s decision was a good move, he said: “Yes. But I hope the other officials will also be asked to resign.”

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senators Imee Marcos, Joel Villanueva, Kiko Pangilinan and Sherwin Gatchalian also backed the Chief Executive’s move.

Drilon even called for the filing of charges against Faeldon for incompetence.

“Faeldon was caught lying through his teeth. He tried to deceive the Senate and the public. He lied over and over again to evade accountability,” Drilon said.

“His name has become synonymous with incompetence. His actions clearly exhibited gross inexcusable negligence and willful misconduct, if not corruption,” he added.

Drilon insisted that charges must be filed against Faeldon for his incompetence and for lying to evade accountability over the botched early release of Sanchez.

He said this as he expressed full support for the President’s decision to fire Faeldon amid the controversy on the release of heinous crime convicts and Sanchez, which was halted following a strong public outcry.

“The President’s decision confirmed what the public already knew: that Faeldon lied and weaved alibis under oath to exculpate himself,” he said.