”Not more than 10” released on GCTA surrendered: Guevarra

September 5, 2019

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said '' not more than 10'' convicts released on the basis of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law have surrendered following President Rodrigo Duterte's ultimatum to register themselves to the Bureau of Corrections within 15 days.

“I have just been informed a few minutes ago, confidentially there are but we cannot mention their names,” Guevarra told a Senate hearing.

Duterte ordered on Wednesday night the re-arrest of the 1,914 convicts released through the GCTA Law or Republic Act 10592.

The GCTA Law became controversial after it was revealed that among its supposed beneficiaries is former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez, who was sentenced to seven terms of reclusion perpetua for being the mastermind of the rape-slay of Aileen Sarmenta and her friend Allan Gomez, both UP Los Banos students. 

The Department of Justice suspended the processing of GCTA pending review of the law’s implementing rules and regulation. DMS