Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that convicts of heinous crimes freed on the basis of good conduct should be brought back to jail.
“Dapat makabalik sila sa kulungan until they serve the full term of their service,” Panelo said in a media briefing in Beijing.
Republic Act 10592 or the Good Conduct Time Allowance allows convicts to be released earlier if they exhibited good behavior.
Records show that Bureau of Corrections released 22,049 persons desprived of liberty since 2014.
1,914 had been convicted of heinous crimes such as murder and rape.
Panelo said that it cannot be done because the law excludes recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapees and persons charged with heinous crimes from its coverage.
“That cannot be done because the law is very clear,” Panelo explained.
Panelo contradicted Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra’s position that once freedom is granted, it can no longer be revoked.
“When you say it cannot be revoked it assumes that the grantees are qualified. If they are not qualified how can you apply that provision,” he said.
