Roxas, De Lima explanation sought as Ombudsman probes GCTA law

Ombudsman Samuel Martires has ordered former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and detained Senator Leila de Lima to explain why they failed to exclude those convicted of heinous crimes as beneficiaries of Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law. 

Martires was referring to the GCTA law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations drafted by Roxas and de Lima which only exempts the following from benefiting from GCTA law:

• an accused who is a recidivist as defined under Article 14, Chapter 3, Book 1 of the Revised Penal Code
• an accused who has been convicted previously twice or more than times of any crime  and
• any accused who, upon being summoned for execution of his sentence, has failed to surrender voluntarily before a court of law

De Lima, detained in Camp Crame over drug-related charges, is a former Justice secretary.

“In his regard, the [Ombudsman’s] office requests the submission, within three days from receipt hereof, of a written explanation/clarification on why the foregoing provision in the IRR does not contain the same disqualification as enumerated in Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Section 1 of the Republic Act 10592 (GCTA law),” Martires said in his letter dated September 6.

Martires earlier ordered the suspension of 27 New Bilibid Prison (NBP) officials, many of them stationed in NBP’s Maximum Security Compound, over what the Ombudsman said was an anomalous release of heinous crime convicts under the GCTA law.

The suspension order, which lasts six months and without pay, was issued by Martires after inmates and their family members revealed in the Senate probe that early release under GCTA is being sold for a hefty price in NBP. —KBK, GMA News