INTERIOR and Local Government secretary Eduardo Año urged on Wednesday, September 4, the inmates who were freed through the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) to show up and submit to investigation in relation to their GCTA computation.

“They are given 15 days to show up and submit for investigation to re-compute the GCTA. After the deadline, the PNP (Philippine National Police) will track and arrest those who will not surrender themselves to authorities,” Año said in a text message to reporters.

His statement came after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the said freed inmates to surrender to the authorities amid the controversy surrounding the implementation of the GCTA which cuts down the sentence of a prisoner due to good behavior.

Some 1,914 prisoners convicted of heinous crimes have been released since 2014 based on GCTA.

Among those released were the three convicts in the rape-slay of the Chiong sisters in Cebu in 1997.

Also almost released due to the GCTA was former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez who was convicted in the rape-slay of University of the Philippines-Los Banos student Eileen Sarmenta and her friend Allan Gomez in 1993.

Sanchez’s release was foiled after the order was leaked to the media, causing public outrage.

For his part, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde has ordered all police units nationwide to immediately receive and account for all the released prisoners who will heed the order of the president.

“Likewise, tracker teams will now be deployed to locate these convicts, who will be treated as fugitives if they choose not to surrender,” said Albayalde.

He said they will coordinate with the Bureau of Corrections for the identification of all the released inmates. (SunStar Philippines)