GCTA IRR takes effect

The Department of Justice (DoJ) disclosed that without a court order to stop it, the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the 2013 law on good conduct time allowances (GCTA) for prisoners have already took effect Friday.

In a statement, DoJ undersecretary Markk Perete said that in the absence of a restraining order from the courts they are expecting their corrections officials to implement RA 10592 and its revised IRR.

The new IRR of the GCTA law included provisions that disqualifies habitual delinquents, recidivists, escapees and persons charged with heinous crimes from earning GCTA and other time allowances that may shorten the time they serve their sentences

It also added the provision on credit for preventive imprisonment.

The petition filed at the Supreme Court (SC) this week that challenges the introduced exclusions did not ask the justices to issue a temporary restraining order and it has ordered the government to comment on the petition.

Should the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) encounter difficulties in enforcing the rules, Perete — who is also the Justice department’s spokesman — said they “can always seek guidance from the DoJ.”

He explained that the BuCor manual which describes the specifics of the law at the operational level is still being reviewed by the DoJ and Department of the Interior and Local Government joint committee that revised the IRR.

“The completion of the manual will only make efficient the processes for its implementation, but should not be used as a ground for not implementing RA 10592,” Perete said.