DOJ may suspend processing of prisoners’ early release

The Department of Justice considers suspending the processing of inmates’ good conduct time allowance grants amid uproar from majority of Filipinos. DOJ.GOV.PH

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) is studying the possibility to suspend the processing of inmates’ good conduct time allowance (GCTA).

DOJ secretary Menardo Guevarra on Saturday said they were in the process of reviewing the Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) existing guidelines for the CTA.

“We are reviewing the existing guidelines for GCTA and the BuCor will henceforth base its actions on any new guidelines that will come out,” Guevarra said.

“We’re considering seriously the need to temporarily suspend the processing of GCTAs till the BuCor guidelines are reviewed and firmed up,” he added.

Guevarra said the halt would be temporary, and that convicts applying for the grant should “wait a little.”

The DOJ drew flak after saying that former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez, convicted of the 1993 rape-slay of University of the Philippines student Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of her companion Allan Gomez, might be released early over the GCTA, which shortens the time of imprisonment based on a convict’s good conduct.

Republic Act 10592 amends provisions of the law on the sentence reductions of a convicted prisoner or an inmate on preventive imprisonment based on good conduct.

But Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo last week said Sanchez will not be a beneficiary of the 2013 law./PN

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