NCRPO asks GCTA-freed convicts to surrender peacefully

FILE: SURRENDER PEACEFULLY. NCRPO chief, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar talks to four GCTA-freed convicts who surrendered to authorities in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City on Thursday (Sept. 19, 2019). Eleazar warned those who did not heed President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to surrender peacefully once they are apprehended by police officers. (PNA photo by Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)

MANILA — As the manhunt against persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), who were released through the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) pushes through, the National Capital Region Police (NCRPO) on Saturday called on convicts to surrender peacefully.

“So we advise them not to do something that would jeopardize their safety once our personnel are able to track their locations. But still, the best option is for them to surrender,” said NCRPO chief, Maj.

Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, in a statement.

“We want to get them alive but if there is aggressive behavior on their part and they resist, we have to defend ourselves,” he added.

Three hours after President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadline lapsed, NCRPO operatives arrested four PDLs before the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked for the suspension of manhunt operations early Friday.

Eleazar said another one had been taken into custody in Metro Manila at around 3 p.m. Friday, after Malacañang and DOJ clarified that the manhunt operations will continue.

This came despite the DOJ’s pronouncement that it will issue a revised list of GCTA-freed convicts after the number of PDLs who surrendered exceeded the actual number totaling to 1,914.

“The series of arrests we conducted is a proof that we are serious in running after them. We will not stop until they are all accounted because that is the order coming from the President,” said Eleazar.

Eleazar earlier said each of the 26 police stations would form a team consisting of four personnel to track down the PDLs released under the GCTA.

“The police precincts, police stations and our offices here at NCRPO are open 24 hours, and we shall be ready to arrange for (the PDLs’) turnover to the proper authorities,” he said.

“To those protecting them, they will be charged by a case of harboring criminals. If the convicts were arrested in their premises, they would be held liable,” Eleazar also warned.