THE PHILIPPINE STAR
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
news
tRape csmviet'Napoles
still hehind bars
BY PAOLO ROMERO
"ComDuter and cleri cal
Ie'd to the inclusion of
"rrors"
olunder convictJanet Lim Na-
poles in the Bureau of Correc-
iions (BuCor)'s list of inmates
oualified for release under the
ctntroversial Qood Conduct
Time Allowance (GCTA) Law,
officials told a Senate inquiry
-
vesterday.
I.jeoalrnent oflustice (DOI)
Undeisecretary Markk Perete
also clarified yesterday that
Napoles is still'detaineil at the
Correctional Institution tor
Wornen in Mandaluyong CitY.
As to who was the "Janet
Lim Napoles" set free last Yea-4
the DOj official said theY have
already asked BuCor for an
exolanation,
'Stephe.t David, NaPoles'
lead counsel, said his client has
never aoplied for earlY release
from ddti:ntion throu{h ccre
1aw.
Corrections Sgt. Ramoncito
Roque, head of BuCor's re-
* pAG-- I
i rntonv I SEPTEMBER 13,2ot9
cords division, told the Senate
Blue Ribbon committee that
his office had a Problem with
the computer's genetation of
the 1ist.
"Do vou sludv what vou're
doins?' BIue Iiibbott'.hui.-
man Sen. Richard Gordon told
Rooue.'Thaf s iust an excuse."
th" BnCo. offi"iul said the
list was prenared in haste last
-nnth a's top bur€au oYflcials
needed it fo'r a Press confer-
ence on the GCIA controversy,
addine that double entrY of
.r.*"Jhupp".t o.casionaliy.
Gordon said based on ihe
verification bv the committee
staff, nearly lb percent or 197
of the more than 800 inmates
ordered released bv then Bu-
Cor chief Nicanor Fieldon had
wrons information.
Asi"de from Napoles, who
is charged with Plunder but
Iisted is held for raPe, the
senator cited the case of War-
ren Signapan, who is recorded
as ouali{ied for GCTA, but
was' already granted execu-
tI)
tive clemency bY President
Duterte.
Another is Rolito Go, who
was already freed bY the Su-
preme Court, he said.
' "And yet, we have manY
inmates, who are 75 to 80
years old, who have alreadY
baid their debts to society but
lre still languishing," Gordon
said.
Malacaflang is keePing its
hands off whether or not Na-
poles is really included in the
iist with presidential sPokes-
man Salvador Panelo saYing,
"let the investigation Proceed
and let the truth come out and
will ro11."
thereafter, heads
He added that the Palace
would not preemPt the onEo-
ing Senate probe.
The Philippine National
Police (PNP) rePorted Yester-
dav that 299 heinous crime
coivicts released under the
GCIA law have surrendered
to various agencies.
PNP spokesman Brig. Gen
Bernard Banac said a major-
NEvr pAq€ pu "'->
ity of them were convicted by Cagayan Valley wiih 35,
oi murder (101) and raPe Centtal Visayas u'ilh 2q, and
(9.5). Theremaining 103 were
convicted fot other crimes
that include illegal dfugs,
rape with homicide, robberY
with homicide, parricide and
kidnapping.
The regic,ns with the most
number of convicts who sur-
rendered are Mimaropa (Min-
doro, Marinduque, Romblon
and Palawan) with 48 followed
Tlocos with 26. Metro Manila
tallied 15.
At least eight convicts also
surrendered in Pangasinan,
according to the province'
police chief Col. Redrico
Malanan.
The Bureau of Immigration
is also cl-Lecking its database
to determine if some of those
freed have left the country.
President. Duterte earlier'
ordered the 1,914 cohvicts
fleed under GCTA to sur-
render following allegations
of irregularity, givinf thcm
only until Sept. 19 Lo do so
or face a possible manhunt
operation.
But Cagayan de Oro ReP.
Rufus Rodriguez said authori-
ties must first go to tire courts
and ask for a warrant of arrcst
against thosc who wcre freed.
He added th.rt oniv the courlq
could compel an inmate to
rcturrr to jail.
Mc.nwhile. the tcchtrical
working group (TWG) of the
^ e\q{{-- &'
t4)
DOJ and Department of *re In-
terior and T.ocal Government
(DILG) is expected to fin:ish a
review on tlre implementing
rules and regulations (IRR)
and the uniform pollcy and
guidelines on the computa-
tion of credits and allowances
under Republic Act 10592 or
the GCTA law.
Justice Secretary Menardo
Gucvatttt said they would
not divulge to the public yet
the results of the review since
the ;'evisions have yet to be
approv:d.
The DOJ and DILG are
jointly reviewing the IRR of
tlre GCTA amid speculation
that lrigh-profile irunates con-
victed of heinous crimes bene-
fitted from the computation of
Lheir reporled good behavior
and werre set free.
- With Evelyn Macai-
ran, Elizabeth Marcelo,
Non Alquitran, Robertzon
Ramirez, Tina Mendez, Em-
manuel Tupas, Ralph Edwin
Villanueva, Eva Visp eras,
Ggrry tee Godt