Press Release

October 10, 2007

SENATE OKAYS BILL GRANTING GOOD CONDUCT

TIME ALLOWANCES TO PRISONERS
The Senate has approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 1647 which seeks to provide
good conduct time allowances (GCTA) to prisoners resulting in the shortening of their jail
terms.

The bill, principally authored by Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) and co-
authored by Sen. Francis Escudero, provides that detention prisoners and those serving
sentence by virtue of final judgment, as a reward for good behavior, shall be entitled to a
reduction of 15 days in their jail terms for every month of good conduct.

"The reduction of sentence is in consideration of the good conduct and diligence of a

prisoner who does not violate the code of discipline or prison rules, and has shown fidelity to
the tasks given to him while serving sentence," Pimentel said.

He said this conforms with Article 97 of the Revised Penal Code which provides for the
allowance for good conduct, recognizes the ability of prisoners to reform while serving their
sentences.

The grant of good conduct time allowances for prisoners was one of the nine legislative
measures passed by the Senate before going on a month-long recess.

In addition to the GCTA, prisoners who shall earn or make satisfactory progress towards
earning a post-graduate or college degree, a certificate of completion of a vocational skills or
value development course, a high school diploma or an elementary grade certificate shall
also be allowed a reduction of 15 days for every month of study or mentoring services
rendered to fellow prisoners.

Such privilege shall apply to prisoners who are rendering teaching services to their fellow
inmates.

Under the bill, the director of the Bureau of Corrections, the director of the Bureau of Jail and
Management and Penology and wardens of various provinces, cities and municipalities shall
be authorized to assess, evaluate and grant good conduct time allowances to prisoners.

Pimentel observed that the present lack of mechanism for good conduct time allowances for
prisoners while their cases are on appeal only discourages them from complying with prison
rules.

The bill seeks to implement the policy of the State to promote the reformation and
rehabilitation of prisoners by giving them free education in order to develop their skills,
strengthen their moral values, facilitate their integration into the mainstream of society and
prevent unnecessary deprivation of personal liberty and economic usefulness.

The secretary of the Department of Justice and the secretary of the Department of Interior
and Local Government shall, within 60 days from the approval of this Act, promulgate the
rules and regulations on the classification system for good conduct time allowances as may
be necessary to implement the provisions of the Act. -o0o-

Bicameral approval of good conduct time allowance to prisoners

urged

Total views: 975 25 January 2010 09:27:30 AM

Writer: Michelle M. Sapnu, MRS-PRIB

A lawmaker is urging the bicameral conference committee to immediately act on a proposed measure granting good
conduct time allowance to prisoners who participate in literacy, skills and values development programs in penal
institutions.

Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. (Lone District, Iloilo City) said House Bill No. 4925 seeks to improve the prisoner's literacy and skills
levels and moral values thereby facilitating his/her reintegration into the mainstream of society.

"The granting of good conduct time allowance will result in the reduction of their incarceration period. This translates to a
decrease in the over-all cost of correction thru jail decongestion," said Gonzalez, who authored by measure.

Under the measure, time credit shall be granted to a prisoner who has earned or is making satisfactory progress towards
earning a post-graduate or college degree, high school or elementary grade diploma, vocational or technical skill or values
development certificate or to those who are being used to teach subjects or courses in the mentioned programs.

"This bill further aims to prevent jailbreaks and riots as prisoners devote their time and energies into productive
endeavors," said Gonzalez, chairman of the House Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation.

Salient provisions of the measure include a maximum time credit of fifteen (15) days for every month of study time for
both prisoners in detention facilities and those who are serving their sentences by virtue of final judgment and those
prisoners whose sentences are under appeal.

The measure authorizes the chiefs of the Bureau of Corrections and Bureau of Jail Management & Penology to grant good
conduct time allowance.

It also mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) as agencies that are tasked to conduct said programs.

House bill seeks good-conduct time allowance

for prisoners
September 2, 2008 10:51am

MANILA, Philippines - A pending bill in the House of Representatives aims to grant good time allowances to

prisoners for good conduct through participation in literacy, skills and values development programs.

House Bill 4925 allows any prisoner who has earned or is making satisfactory progress towards earning a post-

graduate or college degree, high school or elementary grade diploma.

Prisoners covered also include those working on a degree on a vocational or technical skill or values development
certificate, or those who are teaching subjects or courses in the mentioned programs, according to a statement on the

House of Representatives website.

The time credit shall not exceed 15 days for every month of study time of the inmate, according to the measure.

House Bill 4925 is a substitute bill for House Bills 3563 filed by Rep. Teodoro Locsin (1st District, Makati City), 1942

and 1943 filed by Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro), and 1453 authored by Rep. Raul Gonzales

Jr. (Lone District, Iloilo City).

In approving the proposal, committee members underscored that the granting of good conduct time allowance to

prisoners shall enable the State to recognize efforts of prisoners toward self-improvement.

During hearings on the measure, committee members expressed belief that the proposal shall improve the prisoner's

literacy and skills levels as well as their moral values.

This will facilitate his or her reintegration into the mainstream of society.

Also, the bill shall also reduce the prisoner's period of incarceration thereby helping decongest the severely

overcrowded jails and prevent jailbreaks and riots as prisoners devote their time and energies into productive

endeavors.

The proposed measure shall cover prisoners in detention facilities of law enforcement agencies and those prisoners

serving sentence by virtue of final judgment in the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and Bureau of Jail Management

and Penology (BJMP).

It provides that the chiefs of the BuCor and BJMP shall grant the good conduct time allowance.

The Department of Education and Technical and Education Skills Development shall likewise conduct the

development programs for inmates. - GMANews.TV