MANILA - The Department of Justice has ordered a thorough review and recomputation of good conduct time allowances granted prisoners involved in heinous crimes and other high-profile cases.
“I have ordered a strict review and careful recomputation of the GCTAs of persons deprived of liberty involved in high-profile and heinous crimes such as rape with homicide, multiple murders, and drug-pushing,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a text message to ABS-CBN News Wednesday.
The order comes in the wake of reports of the impending release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, who had been convicted for the 1993 rape-murder of University of the Philippines Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta, and the murder of her companion Allan Gomez. The DOJ earlier said Sanchez’s GCTA was being recomputed by the Bureau of Corrections , its attached agency, and would probably regain his freedom following 2013 amendments to provisions of the Revised Penal Code on good conduct time grants.Sanchez also benefited from a Supreme Court decision that qualified prisoners, regardless of whether already serving sentence or detained, for the reduction of their sentence pursuant to time allowances, including GCTA, under the said law.
This ruling, penned by Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, invalidated the prospective application of the time allowance grant. Despite reports Sanchez may be released Wednesday, Guevarra said this would not happen “because there are many other PDLs ahead of him for processing."
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Otso Diretso bets ask DOJ to disqualify OSG in sedition caseOtso Diretso senatorial candidates have asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to disqualify the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) from participating in the sedition case before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Read more »
DOJ summons leftist representatives over student recruitmentThe complaint mistakenly identifies Tom Villarin as Anakbayan representative. Villarin is a member of Akbayan, which is from a different faction of the Philippine Left.
Read more »
DOJ summons Colmenares, youth party-list groups over missing activist
Read more »
DOJ summons left-leaning reps over trafficking, child abuse chargesThe DOJ has summoned several leaders and officers of left-leaning groups over charges of trafficking, and child abuse after a female student was reported missing following her alleged recruitment in Anakbayan. | NAMercadoINQ
Read more »
OSG insists on authority to represent CIDG in DOJ probe vs Robredo, others
Read more »
DOJ: Former Calauan Mayor Sanchez, thousands of inmates may be released soonConvicted rapist and murderer, former Mayor Antonio Sanchez of Calauan, Laguna, is expected to be released soon due to the re-computation of his Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA), said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
Read more »