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Drilon admits voting for GCTA Law, but didn't realize implications


Liberal Party stalwart and Senate Minority leader Franklin Drilon on Saturday admitted he was among the senators that voted in favor of the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law in 2013.

But the senator admitted that he did not realize the implications of expanding the coverage of the GCTA.

"When Section 3 was included in the committee report in the Senate, the senators including me did not realize the effect of expanding the period of Good Conduct Time Allowance," Drilon said during the weekly news forum at Annabel's restaurant in Quezon City.

"Originally, this law designed only for detention prisoners not finally convicted prisoners. It was the Senate, that included the finally convicted prisoners," he said, referring to the Section 3 of the GCTA.

GCTAs are provided for by Republic Act No. 10592, a 2013 law that amends a number of provisions of the Revised Penal Code on time allowances and credit for preventive imprisonment of inmates.

Republic Act 10592 or the expanded GCTA law became controversial after it was revealed that among its supposed beneficiaries was convicted rapist-murderer Antonio Sanchez.

The outcry caused by reports of Sanchez's possible release prompted the government to suspend the implementation of the law, pending review.

"I admit, I was among those who voted but I did not realize the implications of such a more grant of time allowances for good conduct," Drilon said.

The GCTA law allows the reduction of sentences of prisoners, depending on their "good conduct" or how they abide on rules inside “any penal institution, rehabilitation, or detention center or any other local jail.” —LBG, GMA News

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