DILG urges LGUs to assist PNP in surrender of GCTA beneficiaries

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday urged local government units (LGU) to assist the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the surrender of heinous crimes convicts released under good conduct time allowance (GCTA) rule.

The DILG made the call amid increasing number of GCTA beneficiaries who surrendered to authorities after President Rodrigo Duterte issued a 15-day deadline.

“We enjoin all Local Government Officials, including Barangay Officials, to assist the PNP in the voluntary surrender of the heinous crime convicts,” the DILG said in a statement.

“If you are aware of any convict in your area of responsibility, you may escort those who wish to surrender to the nearest Police Station to ensure their safety and well-being. We also call on the public to facilitate the voluntary surrender of these individuals,” it added.

Duterte last week ordered convicts involved in heinous crimes who were freed under the GCTA law to present themselves within 15 days to the nearest police station or to the military.

The president told them to submit themselves for investigation to recompute their good conduct credits.

Duterte warned they will be treated as fugitives from justice if they fail to comply.

After the lapse of the 15-day period for voluntary surrender, the DILG said the remaining convicts will be the subject of a man-hunt by special tracker teams of the PNP “without the need of a warrant because they are evading the full service of their respective sentences.”

The PNP reported that as of Sept. 8 (Sunday), more than 100 GCTA beneficiaries have reported back to authorities.

“We are pleased with the growing number of heinous crime convicts who have heeded the President’s directive to voluntarily surrender to authorities for a re-evaluation and recomputation of their Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) by the Department of Justice (DOJ),” the DILG said.

The department assured GCTA beneficiaries they will immediately be transferred to the custody of Bureau of corrections after their surrender to police or military units to await the recomputation of their GCTAs.

“After the re-computation of their GCTAs, those who were found to have qualified and served their full sentences in accordance with the intent of the law will be released immediately. In the meantime, they shall remain in the custody of the BuCor,” the DILG said.

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