DEC.

19, 2011 DATE

NR # 2622B
REF. NO.

Solons seek special time allowance for loyal prisoners

The House of Representatives has approved on third reading a bill giving the same special time allowance to prisoners who have remained in their prison cells despite having all the chance to escape from their place of confinement. House Bill 1219 seeks to grant a deduction of two-fifths of the period of his sentence to any prisoner who chooses to stay in his place of confinement on the occasion of disorder resulting from a conflagration, earthquake, explosion or similar catastrophe or during a mutiny in which he has not participated. Rep. Diosdado Dato M. Arroyo (2nd District, Camarines Sur), principal author of the HB 1219, said the bill addresses the inadequacies of existing provisions on the special time allowance for loyalty. Under Article 158 of the Revised Penal Code, a prisoner who evades the service of his sentence by leaving the penal institution where he has been confined on the occasion of disorder or mutiny which he has not participated in but fails to give himself up to the authorities within 48 hours, following the issuance of a proclamation by the Chief Executive announcing the passing away of such calamity shall suffer an increase of one-fifth of the time still remaining to be served under the original sentence which, in no case, shall exceed six months. Likewise, those prisoners who give themselves up to the authorities within the above mentioned 48 hours shall be entitled to the deduction provided in Article 98 of the Revised Penal Code which is one-fifth of the period of his sentence. The law recognizes instances when prisoners are forced to leave their place of confinement in order to save themselves and encourage them to surrender to the authorities as provided under Article 158. But the law, however, fails to take into consideration those prisoners who choose to stay within the premises of their confinement even if a calamity or catastrophe is occurring, Arroyo said. Arroyo said the same time allowance should also be extended to those inmates who remain in their prison cells despite having all the chances to escape. They have shown more convincingly their loyalty than those who escaped and then eventually gave themselves up. Possibly, the prisoners who escaped under Article 158 merely gave themselves up because they saw a slim chance to avoid a recapture because the calamity had already passed and the government was already functioning with all its normal efficiency. Arroyo said. The co-authors of the bill are Reps. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga), Juan Miguel Arroyo (Party-list, Ang Galing Pinoy) and Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, Pangasinan). (30) mvip