‘Rape convict’ Napoles still behind bars

MANILA, Philippines — “Computer and clerical errors” led to the inclusion of plunder convict Janet Lim Napoles in the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)’s list of inmates qualified for release under the controversial Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law, officials told a Senate inquiry yesterday. 

Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Markk Perete also clarified yesterday that Napoles is still detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.  

As to who was the “Janet Lim Napoles” set free last year, the DOJ official said they have already asked BuCor for an explanation. 

Stephen David, Napoles’ lead counsel, said his client has never applied for early release from detention through GCTA law. 

Corrections Sgt. Ramoncito Roque, head of BuCor’s records division, told the Senate Blue Ribbon committee that his office had a problem with the computer’s generation of the list. 

“Do you study what you’re doing?” Blue Ribbon chairman Sen. Richard Gordon told Roque. “That’s just an excuse.” 

The BuCor official said the list was prepared in haste last month as top bureau officials needed it for a press conference on the GCTA controversy, adding that double entry of names happen occasionally.

 Gordon said based on the verification by the committee staff, nearly 10 percent or 197 of the more than 800 inmates ordered released by then BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon had wrong information. 

Aside from Napoles, who is charged with plunder but listed as held for rape, the senator cited the case of Warren Signapan, who is recorded as qualified for GCTA, but was already granted executive clemency by President Duterte.

 Another is Rolito Go, who was already freed by the Supreme Court, he said.

“And yet, we have many inmates, who are 75 to 80 years old, who have already paid their debts to society but are still languishing,” Gordon said.

Malacañang is keeping its hands off whether or not Napoles is really included in the list with presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo saying, “let the investigation proceed and let the truth come out and thereafter, heads will roll.”

He added that the Palace would not preempt the ongoing Senate probe.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday that 299 heinous crime convicts released under the GCTA law have surrendered to various agencies.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said a majority of them were convicted of murder (101) and rape (95). The remaining 103 were convicted for other crimes that include illegal drugs, rape with homicide, robbery with homicide,  parricide and kidnapping.

The regions with the most number of convicts who surrendered are Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) with 48 followed by Cagayan Valley with 35, Central Visayas with 29, and Ilocos with 26. Metro Manila tallied 15.

At least eight convicts also surrendered in Pangasinan, according to the province’ police chief Col. Redrico Maranan.

The Bureau of Immigration is also checking its database to determine if some of those freed have left the country.

President Duterte earlier ordered the 1,914 convicts freed under GCTA to surrender following allegations of irregularity, giving them only until Sept. 19 to do so or face a possible manhunt operation.

But Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said authorities must first go to the courts and ask for a warrant of arrest against those who were freed. He added that only the courts could compel an inmate to return to jail.

Meanwhile, the technical working group (TWG) of the DOJ and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is expected to finish a review on the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) and the uniform policy and guidelines on the computation of credits and allowances under Republic Act 10592 or the GCTA law. 

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said they would not divulge to the public yet the results of the review since the revisions have yet to be approved.  

The DOJ and DILG are jointly reviewing the IRR of the GCTA amid speculation that high-profile inmates convicted of heinous crimes benefitted from the computation of their reported good behavior and were set free. – With Evelyn Macairan, Elizabeth Marcelo, Non Alquitran, Robertzon Ramirez, Tina Mendez, Emmanuel Tupas, Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Eva Visperas, Gerry Lee Gorit