14 freed under GCTA surrender in Cebu — Sinas

CEBU, Philippines — At least 14 convicts released under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law have surrendered to authorities in Cebu, the Police Regional Office - 7 said.

PRO-7 Director Debold Sinas said 10 have been turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) as of yesterday while three are detained at the police station where they surrendered.

“As of now, the whole PRO-7 area, 13 na ang nag-surrender sa atoa, 13 na ang gi-process nato sa mga stations… after this one, they will be temporarily transferred to CIDG-7 for further processing,” Sinas said yesterday, citing the records that reached PRO-7.

One other convict also surrendered to the Catmon Police Station on Monday, September 9, but he was turned over to CIDG only yesterday.

Victoriano Pontillar Rule, Jr. of Barangay Bactas, Catmon was convicted for rape and acts of lasciviousness and was released on December 28, 2018.

The convicts turned themselves in after President Rodrigo Duterte said last week they have 15 days to surrender or be considered fugitives.

Public outrage over the release of some high-profile convicts has prompted lawmakers to investigate the implementation of the GCTA law, which deducts days from the convicts’ sentences due to good conduct. Allegations also surfaced that money changed hands at the Bureau of Corrections.

Sinas said they will also check how the convicts will be transported to the BuCor facility in Leyte but he hopes that they will be transferred as soon as possible so that expenses of the police agencies here can be minimized.

“Ang problema kasi ani, habang nasa detention ng CIDG, yung pagkain, pagkatapos ang transportation pag dal-on na sila sa Leyte kinsa man ang mu-shoulder kasi daghan ni (The problem is that CIDG will have to shoulder the expenses for their food… when they will be transported, who will pay for their fare?),” Sinas said.

Each convict would also need two police escorts during the transport.

The CIDG is the lead agency in the operation on the GCTA convicts and Sinas said the police force is ready to arrest those who will not surrender once the 15-day ultimatum of the president will lapse.

“We will be ready to arrest them if matapos na ang 15 days na ibinigay ng president (We will be ready to arrest them once the 15 days are over),” Sinas said. (FREEMAN)