The Department of Justice has paved the way for the police to resume their manhunt for 19 heinous crime convicts prematurely released due to the misapplication of the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law.
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Justice Secretay Menardo Guevarra said he transmitted a list to the Department of the Interior and Local Government containing 19 names of convicts who did not heed President Rodrigo Duterte’s warning to turn themselves in.
“The first partial list containing 19 names was transmitted to the DILG yesterday (Monday). So, the PNP may now resume the search for heinous crime convicts prematurely released,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.
“Secretary [Eduardo] Ano is expected to give the go-signal to the PNP to start the search at midnight,” the DOJ chief added.
The Bureau of Corrections, assisted by the Department of Justice, is reviewing the individual case records of over 2,000 inmates prematurely released since the Republic Act 10592 or the Expanded Good Conduct Time Allowance became a law.
However, the BuCor list included those who have been acquitted, granted parole and given conditional pardon.
President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered the freed inmates to surrender or be subject to a manhunt.
Due to the errors in the previous BuCor list, Guevarra said they would produce a cleaned-up list that will guide the PNP in its search of fugitives.
Guevarra said more names will be released in batches “every week or as soon as reviews of individual case records are completed.”
