Smile of thanks

Continuing the controversy of the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law, the president has ordered those who have been released to surrender now or else they will be considered as fugitives. This eased the pain in the hearts of the parents of the slain Chiong sisters. It was a hot morning when I met Thelma and Dionesio once again, but this time, instead of wrinkles on their foreheads and heavy hearts they greeted me with all smiles. They said they were happy with the provision that the president gave, but are apprehensive that those convicted for their daughters' death might escape. Thus, they are asking the public to help them. The only problem is, more than 20 years has passed and age may have changed their looks.

While it is a welcome development that the president has done something about this very controversial law, there are still many questions to be answered and people to be held responsible. Removing former Bureau of Corrections director general Nicanor Faeldon was of no help, as most of those who applied for the GCTA did so under the stint of incumbent senator Bato Dela Rosa.

I have seen three of the convicts in different cases surrender to the police. They are now old and are past their prime. Despite their own freewill to turn themselves in, they long to get back the liberty granted to them. They say that they have changed and it is for the better. A totally different scenario than their lives were before they started living in prison. They are now old men who want to get back to life with the little time they now have left.

Saying that they paid for their GCTA is a big insult to these men who worked hard not to have any violation. I met one who cried and said that they tried their best to change so they could live a new life, but the mandate of the president now is slowly changing the courses of their lives once more.

Of course, I condole with the Chiongs, considering the pain they went through in losing their two daughters. I wish the law was properly executed so that no one would have to feel pain again. GCTA may have given some people a shot at renewing their lives, but it also opens many doors and wounds. Heinous crimes should not be included in this and their sentence should be served.

Sometimes it scares me to know that a former killer or rapist could be lurking in the streets of the metro. Anyone could become the victim. It is so hard to hold on to the fact that you will be okay, when you don't know what is out there. While rehabilitation is possible inside the facility, it is also impossible for the personality of the person to go back to how it was prior to the crime.

As with everything else, it needs careful study.