Freed inmates convicted of heinous crimes must be sent back to jail — Palace

BEIJING, China — Inmates convicted of heinous crimes that were freed because of the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law should be sent back to prison because they are not qualified to be released early, Malacañang said Friday. 

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Republic Act 10592, which reduces jail sentence of inmates who displayed good behavior, is very clear about the exclusion of those charged and convicted of heinous crimes, escapees, habitual delinquents and recidivists.

"Obviously they should be sent back to jail until they served the full term of their service," Panelo said in a press briefing here. 

"The President, at the inception of his career as public official, his slogan was and is until now 'What the law is, just follow it,'" he added. 

Panelo said the release of the inmates who committed heinous crimes is a violation of the law. 

Earlier, the Bureau of Corrections said 1,914 prisoners convicted of heinous crimes have been released because of GCTA since 2014. Sen. Panfilo Lacson has also claimed that four convicted Chinese drug traffickers walked free from the New Bilibid Prison last June. The four were turned over to the immigration bureau last June 26. 

Panelo said the freed inmates may be rearrested because they are not qualified for early release. Rearresting the inmates requires a court order but the presidential spokesman said it would be up to the justice department to handle the matter. 

Panelo said it would be up to Congress to decide whether to amend the GCTA law, which was signed into law in 2013.

"The wisdom on that amendment of the law lies on Congress. We won't interfere. We will just implement," he said. 

The GCTA law was placed on the spotlight after the justice department said convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez may walk free within the next two months due to good behavior. Officials later on clarified that Sanchez is not eligible for early release because he was found guilty of a heinous crime.