130 convicts released under GCTA surrender
MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) said 130 convicts released under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law have surrendered to various police offices while two others surrendered to the Special Action Forces (SAF) in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, as of Monday afternoon.
PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, said 25 of the surrenderers have been turned over to the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) while they are still processing the documents of the others.
According to the latest data released by the PNP, 33 of the freed “prisoners” surrendered to the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley); 24 in PRO-Mimaropa; 13 in PRO-5 (Bicol); 10 in PRO-7 (Central Visayas); nine in PRO-10 (Northern Mindanao); eight in PROCordillera; seven in PRO-3 (Central Luzon); six in PRO-Calabarzon; five in PRO-1 (Ilocos Region); four in the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO); two each in PRO-6 (Western Visayas), PRO-8 (Eastern Visayas), PRO-12 (Soccsksargen); and one in PRO-9 (Zamboanga Peninsula).
Banac said a total of 1,914 heinous crime convicts were released through the GCTA based on the list they obtained from their “source.”
He said it includes the names of the convicts and their latest known addresses.
He said they are yet to get the official copy of the list of the released convicts from the BuCor.
However, Banac said they are hoping that all of the 1,914 convicts will surrender within 15 days.
“Tukoy na po natin ang kanilang last known addresses, lahat naman ng mga yan ay inaasahang mapupuntahan ng ating tracker teams nationwide (We already know their last addresses and these will be looked
into by our tracker teams),” Banac told reporters during a press conference held at Camp Crame on Monday.
“Wag na po tapusin yung 15-day grace period, kung maaari po kusa na po kayong pumunta sa pinakamalapit na police stations (Don’t wait for the 15-day grace period, surrender now to the nearest police station in your area),” Banac urged the convicts.
The PNP seeks to get photos of the released convicts from BuCor to easily identify them but they would not present the names and images to the public as it might be against the law.
“Kasama yun sa kinukuha nating detalye kung ano ang huli nilang itsura para pag-aralan natin (We need those details to identify them),” Banac said.
Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) head Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, who was tasked by the PNP leadership to coordinate with the BuCor to obtain a copy of the freed convicts under GCTA, said they are currently working to facilitate the compliance with President Duterte’s order to have all released convicts accounted for.
Eleazar said they will sort out the list by police districts, then this will be distributed to the five district directors who in turn, are expected to tap the precinct and station commanders in running after the freed convicts under their respective areas of jurisdiction.
As soon as 15-day period lapses, police tracker teams will be deployed across the country to start the manhunt.
PNP is set to release tracker teams on September 19.
Meanwhile, PNP chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will lead the hunting down of the convicts.
He said convicts who already fled the country, will be tracked down through the help of the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization). (PNA)