DAVAO City Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay was wary on the release of 34 heinous crime convicts from Davao City who benefited from the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA).
In a press briefing Wednesday, September 11, at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Sumagaysay said that even President Rodrigo Duterte was alarmed with the release of the convicts charged for heinous crimes.
The President gave the GCTA beneficiaries a 15-day ultimatum to turn themselves in for investigation.
"Even the President nagsabi siya ng kung there is a malicious proceeding during the granting of GCTA, these people again might do something na hindi maganda sa society," Sumagaysay said.
On September 4, Duterte ordered the convicts released through the GCTA to surrender to the police for a re-evaluation and recomputation of their GCTA. If they will not show up, they will be treated as fugitives.
"Maybe as to the reformations, hindi pa natin masisiguro 'yan, that's why they are considered again na volatile sa society. Tingnan lang natin because ongoing 'yong investigation but we heard a lot of pronouncements na itong mga tao na ito, 'yong status nila they might do something which is not good for the society," Sumagaysay said.
Based on Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao, there are a total of 76 heinous crime convicts who were freed as per the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) record.
Davao City has the highest with 36 convicts and two surrenderers; Davao del Norte with nine; Compostela Valley, four; Davao Oriental, 12; Davao del Sur, 13 with one surrenderer; and Davao Occidental, two. These individuals were released from October 2013 up to 2019.
The two convicted individuals who surrendered in Davao City were identified as Danilo Palicte, 50, a resident of J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City who was convicted for statutory rape, and Mateo Tecson Pasaporte, 68, from Lacson, Calinan District, Davao City who was jailed because of rape and homicide.
They were brought back to Davao Prison and Penal Farm for recomputation of the GCTA.