THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) granted a fresh start to 1,000 prisoners released between November and December 2024, bringing the total number of convicts released this year to 7,707.
In a statement on Monday, Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang, Jr. said of the newly released inmates, 625 completed their maximum sentences, 190 received parole, 134 were acquitted, 38 were granted probation, 11 through habeas corpus, one granted a motion for release, and another one turned over to jail.
The majority of the convicts came from the Maximum Security Camp of the New Bilibid Prison (199), followed by the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (170) and the Medium Security Camp of the national penitentiary (146).
BuCor had also set a timeline adjustment for the release of prisoners convicted of heinous crimes who are eligible for Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) to early next year due to the effectivity clause of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Republic Act 10592.
The GCTA rewards eligible prisoners with sentence reductions for good conduct and exemplary behavior.
In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that individuals convicted of heinous crimes were excluded from availing of GCTA. However, a recent Supreme Court en banc decision this year overturned this exclusion, allowing such individuals to qualify for GCTA when serving their sentences. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana