DOJ, DILG release rules on prison sentence cuts  

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has revised the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law, which now makes all persons deprived of liberty (PDLs)—including those convicted of heinous crimes—eligible for GCTA benefits.

The revised IRR, signed by the DOJ and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday, follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling in April affirming that all PDLs are entitled to GCTA, regardless of the nature of their crimes.

Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, delivering the message of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, said the new IRR is part of the government’s efforts to decongest correctional facilities and jails.

Around 8,000 PDLs from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and 1,000 PDLs from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) are expected to benefit from its implementation.

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In the IRR first released in 2019, GCTA was defined as “a privilege granted to a prisoner, whether detained or convicted by final judgment, entitling them to a reduction of their jail or prison term for every month of actual detention or service of sentence as a reward for good conduct and exemplary behavior.”

However, those convicted of heinous crimes were excluded, even though no such exclusions were specified in the Revised Penal Code, or Republic Act No. 10592.