2 GCTA beneficiaries in Negros surrender

TWO convicts in the province who are beneficiaries of the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) has surrendered to the police.

Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) Deputy Director, Police Lt. Colonel Dennis Acollador confirmed yesterday the surrender of the two convicts.

However Acollador refused to reveal the names of the two convicts but identified one from the town of Calatrava, while the other one from La Castellana.

Acollador said that the one from La Castellana has served his prison sentence at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, but was released for ‘good conduct’ on April 6, 2019.

Acollador added the two persons underwent proper booking procedures and their contact numbers were taken for proper coordination with the Bureau of Corrections.

In a related development, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) yesterday urged convicts who

were released under RA 10592 or GCTA to surrender.

BCPO spokesperson, Police Lt. Colonel Ariel Pico said they have not yet received any reports from the 10 police stations in the city of any convicts surrendering.

Pico said if any convict surrenders to them, they will undergo the normal procedure of booking, wherein their pictures and fingerprints will be taken. The data will then be turned over to the city’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which is the lead police agency handling the surrender cases.

Once the procedure is completed, Pico said the convicts will be allowed to return home temporarily, although the convicts will also be required to make a promise to cooperate with local authorities once it is time for them to be transported to their respective correctional facilities in order to serve the remainder of their prison sentences.

The local police community relations in the 10 police stations in the city were also given the order to coordinate with local barangay officials to see if there are any former convicts who are residing in their area.*