The Senate investigation on the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) has opened a can of worms -- among them the transfer of 10 “high profile” New Bilibid Prison (NBP) inmates to a Philippine Marines facility on June 12.
In a speech before the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Sept. 28, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro "Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. said the Philippine government’s progress in attaining the “aspirations” of the people, such as the fight against poverty and crime, cannot be measured based solely on income per capita.
On orders of President Rodrigo Duterte, 10 high-profile convicts from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa were transferred to the Philippine Marine Barracks in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, citing “threats to their security.”
A debate on the implementation of a law that increases the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) of prisoners ensued after the earlier reported pending release of convicted rapist-murderer former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez. The Justice Department and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) initially identified Sanchez as among the 11,000 inmates who may walk free from prison in the next two months.
President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed 11 bills approved by the previous Congress, including two of his campaign promises.
