By Niño Luces
CAMP OLA, Albay - Out of the 76 listed convicts freed due to the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law, only 24 of them have surrendered to the police in the Bicol region, while one passed away, the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) said.
Police Major Malu Calubaquib, PRO-5 spokesperson told the Manila Bulletin that a day before the end of the 15-days grace period given by President Duterte for the convicts to surrender, 51 convicts have not appeared in any police station and their whereabouts remained unknown.
Seven convicts surrendered in Sorsogon, six in Masbate, four in Albay, four in Camarines Norte, two in Camarines Sur, and two in Catanduanes.
Calubaquib said that these prisoners were convicted of rape, parricide, homicide, robbery, and murder which fall under heinous crimes.
"As stated under Section 29 of Republic Act 10592, it exempts offenders of heinous crimes from availing of the privileges of the GCTA Law," she said.
Calubaquib added that those who surrendered are now under the custody of the concerned police station for turnover to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
"We are still waiting for the memo for those who have not surrendered. Definitely, we will wait for them to voluntarily surrender. Malay mo, wala na sila sa Bicol. Hanggat kaya ipa-surrender, we will do it in a peaceful manner," Calubaquib explained.
Malacanang on Monday said that after the September 19 deadline, convicts freed under the GCTA law who will not surrender would be considered fugitives and could be re-arrested.
"PRO-5, under the leadership of Police Brigadier General Arnel Escobal, adheres to the directives of President Rodrigo R. Duterte and urge the beneficiaries to surrender and to cooperate with the investigation of the government on the anomalies associated with the GCTA law," Calubaquib said.