Fearing for their lives, inmates freed through GCTA head back to prison

President Rodrigo Duterte's surrender-or-else warning struck fear into the hearts of a number of convicts freed because of the good conduct time allowance forcing them to return to prison before the September 19 deadline.

Some have been out of jail for over two years and have started their re-integration into the society to rebuild their lives, according to a report by Dano Tingcungco on GMA News TV's State of the Nation Address with Jessica Soho.

"Roymon" said he had second thoughts about returning to the New Bilibid Prison because he has found work and is already earning.  But, it was better to be alive even if in a congested jail.

"Nanghihinayang din ho kasi may trabaho na kami tapos bigla kami mababalik. Regular na kami sa pinapasukan namin. Madalang naman ang tumatanggap na kumpanya ng ex-convict gaya namin," Roymon said.

Benedicto was just beginning to enjoy his freedom after being in jail for 32 years, but said he had no choice but to surrender.

"Buhay mo ang nakataya dyan  . . . kahit hindi mo gusto mapipilitan ka," Benedicto said.

Roger Tulin was told by authorities that he need not surrender because he was not convicted for a heinous crime, but he still turned himself in before the deadline was over.

"Hindi pa rin ako makatulog. Hindi ako makuntento. Lagi 'kong napapanood . . . sabi ko mas maganda pupunta na lang ako sa Muntinlupa," he said.

According to the last tally of the  Department of Justice  (DOJ), more than 1,300 convicts have surrendered from the 2,000 persons freed due to reduced sentence under the GTCA.

DOJ Undersecretary Markk Perete said the department has cleaned up its list of convicts freed and has removed erroneous and double entries.

Rearrest operations

The operation does not need an arrest warrant, DOJ maintained.

Starting September 20, freed convicts may be rearrested without warrant because they are considered fugitives from law.

"The conduct of the rearrest is a purely police matter now because the only guideline that we have is the characterization of this arrest as warrantless arrest considering that the individuals to be rearrested are considered to be evading their sentences," Perete said.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said its tracker teams are ready to move out by midnight. —Joahna Lei Casilao/ LDF, GMA News