DOJ to 'hold' released Chinese drug lords pending review of GCTA guidelines

MANILA, Philippines — The four released convicted Chinese drug lords awaiting deportation at the Bureau of Immigration will be held pending the review of the law on inmates’ good conduct and time allowances, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Thursday that Chan Chit Yue, Kin San Ho, Ching He and Wu Hing Sum, all drug traffickers, were released from Building 14 of the maximum security compound last June.

The STAR reported that Bureau of Corrections officials could not identify prisoners released on good conduct or other reasons, but the Bureau of Immigration confirmed that the four were turned over to them on June 26.

On Friday, Lacson called on Guevarra to look into the possible detention of the four pending the government review of the guidelines of Republic Act 10592 or the law expanding GCTA.

“Those Chinese nationals who were turned over the [Bureau of Immigration], who are still in our custody, we can still suspend their deportation proceedings and be put back in Muntinlupa while the DOJ reviews [the law],” the senator told DZBB in Filipino.

Guevarra, for his part, said the DOJ will hold the four Chinese nationals while the joint committee from the DOJ and Department of Interior and Local Government will review the law's guidelines.

“If these Chinese drug convicts are still in the custody of the BI, we shall hold them till the [Implementing Rules and Regulation]/guidelines have been reviewed and the joint committee has determined the proper course of action with respect to those [Persons Deprived of Liberty] convicted of heinous crimes who might have already been released,” the Justice secretary told reporters.

The committee composed of DOJ and DILG officials is directed to file a report and draft revised IRR, and a uniform policy and guidelines on the computation of credits and allowances under RA 10592.

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Three more drug convicts released

Lacson also said there were three more convicts were released earlier this year.

“One was released from Davao Penal Colony, a Taiwanese drug lord. Then there are also from Palawan, two drug lords, released on April,” he told DZBB.

Lacson said that Chinese drug lords benefited from the GCTA.

The Bureau of Corrections on Thursday released data that showed 1,914 prisoners convicted of heinous crimes have been released since the law was implemented in 2013.

Among the crimes the prisoners had been convicted of were parricide, murder, kidnapping with illegal detention, robbery with violence or intimidation, destructive arson, rape and violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Asked on how the prior release of the 1,914 prisoners happened, Guevarra told reporters: "We have to study and discuss that issue very carefully and thoroughly."

The Senate, meanwhile, is set to look into RA 10592 on Monday.