THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) will now start releasing convicts who surrendered to authorities but were actually not covered by the anomaly in the implementation of the controversial expanded good conduct time allowance (GCTA).
Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said the release will be done even before the BuCor completed the cleanup of the list of heinous crimes convicts it earlier released.
As of September 23, Perete said a total of 2,221 former prisoners have surrendered, 1,985 of whom are already at the BuCor while 236 are still under the custody of the PNP.
The number of surrenders is apparently higher than the 1,914 list of heinous crime convicts that the BuCor earlier said were covered by President Duterte’s order to surrender due to the erroneous application of the GCTA that led to their premature release.
Asked if there are inmates released due to GCTA but who are nevertheless qualified to be released, Perete said, “in due time, there will be.”
“We understand the BuCor will start releasing those who surrendered whose releases are not GCTA-related to begin with. They will be made even before the completion of the cleaned-up list,” Perete said.
He said inmates whose release were not GCTA-related were actually asked to leave the premises of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa but they insisted on staying until they were given certification attesting to their release which would prevent them from
being rearrested.
They are being held at the minimum security compound of the national penitentiary while their cases are being verified.
Perete also said members of the Department of Justice-BuCor task force conducting a review of the list are working with the Senate to check on the carpetas of the inmates as part of the verification process.”
“They will work until we complete the process,’ he added.
For his part, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the BuCor is fast-tracking the processing of documents of those inmates who have surrendered despite not being among those released due to GCTA.
“We instructed the BuCor to immediately process the documents of those who surrendered though they were not on the GCTA list. They will be given a certification for their protection,” Guevarra said.
