Mga heinous-crime convicts, di dapat isama sa bawas sentensiya

ISINUSULONG nina Reps. Paolo Duterte (Davao City) at Eric Yap (Benguet) na hindi mapabilang ang mga personalidad na nahatulan sa ginawang karumal-dumal na krimen sa pagkuha ng bawas sentensiya sa kanilang hatol gamit ang probisyon na good behavior.

Ang panukala ay nakapaloob sa House Bill  4649 na naglalayong takpan ang sinasabing butas o loopholes sa Republic Act (RA) 10592 Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law.

Isinabatas noong 2013,  itinaas ng GCTA law ang nakakuhang kredito ng mga persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) sa kanilang good conduct, na maaaring ibawas sa taon ng kanilang sentensiya.

Nitong 2019, nagkaroon ng kontrobersiya sa nasabing batas makaraang halos 2,000  katao na nahatulan ng heinous crimes ang nakinabang sa re-computation ng kanilang GCTA credits at napalaya. Naibalik naman sila matapos ipag-utos ni noon ay Presidente Rodrigo Duterte na sumuko sila o ituring na takas o fugitives.

“The spirit of RA 10592, which revised the computation of the good conduct time allowance for persons deprived of liberty, is justice with mercy. However, it should only benefit those who deserve it—those who have been reformed and are ready to be reintegrated into the society without posing a threat,” pahayag nina Duterte at Yap sa panukala.

Kabilang sa heinous crimes na nakasaad sa RA 7659 ay ang “treason; piracy in general and munity on the high seas in Philippine waters; qualified piracy; qualified bribery; parricide; murder;  infanticide; kidnapping and serious illegal detention; robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons; destructive arson; rape; and importation, distribution, manufacturing and possession of illegal drugs.”

Upang masiguro na patas ang pagbibigay ng GCTA credits, sinabi ng mga mambabatas na inaatasan sa panukala ang kalihim ng Justice na magbuo ng “an objective and quantitative criterion for the evaluation and credit of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) to be used by the Director of the Bureau of Corrections, the Chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and/or the Warden of the provincial, district, or city jail in granting good conduct.” (Ara Romero)