EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
(®ri:cf of ll)f ikrcrftorp
SENATE S.B. No. 974
*19 
AUG 28 
A 8 5 6
RECLvui) L*'
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon
C ~7 ^
AN ACT
DEFINING GOOD CONDUCT, INSTITUTING ADDITIONAL MEASURES FOR 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOOD CONDUCT TIME ALLOWANCE, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE ARTICLES 97 AND 99 OF ACT NO. 3815, 
AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Recent news haunted and shocked the consciousness of the nation when 
reports abound that convicted murder-rapist former mayor Antonio Sanchez of the 
Sarmienta-Gomez rape-slay case, together with around 11,000 prisoners,1 may walk 
free by claiming the benefits of Republic Act No. 10592. Republic Act No. 10592 
amended sections 29, 94, 97, 98 and 99 of the Revised Penal Code, a law of 1930- 
vintage, which when taken all together would give the accused/convicted a second 
chance at life in the light of their reformation inside our penitentiaries.
Under Republic Act No. 10592, persons deprived of their liberty are given time 
allowances for showing good conduct while in prison, for participating in work, literacy, 
skills and moral values development program, which results in the reduction of his or 
her incarceration. In doing so. Republic Act No. 10592 seeks to (i) redeem and uplift 
valuable human material towards economic and social usefulness; (ii) level the field 
of opportunity by giving an increased time allowance to motivate prisoners to pursue 
a productive and law-abiding life; and (iii) implement the state policy of restorative 
and compassionate justice by promoting the reformation and rehabilitation of 
prisoners, strengthening their moral fiber and facilitating their successful reintegration 
into the mainstream of society.2
Corollary to this, the implementation of Republic Act No. 10592 will facilitate 
prison decongestion that have already reached 612% congestion rate in 2017- 
deteriorating living conditions of the prisoners to a state that is at the verge of a 
humanitarian crisis.3
1https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/08/22/19455CH/good-law-bad-man-ra-10592-and-rape-si ay-convict- 
antonio-sanchez.
2 Rule II, Section 1, Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10592, IRR-RA 10592, March 26, 
2014.
3 https://www.rappler.com/nation/206366-congestion-rate-jails-philippines-audit-report-2017


Controversy arose when it was reported that nnayor Sanchez would benefit from 
the law and would be released in 2 months' time.4 This, notwithstanding the fact that 
he was convicted of seven counts of rape with homicide and was punished for 
reclusion perpetua for each count, which is equivalent to seven counts of forty (40) 
years in prison.
Reports also show that Antonio Sanchez displayed unwanted behavior while 
inside prison including the violation of several prison rules for smuggling illegal drugs 
in his jail cell5 and received several luxuries not generally allowed under existing jail 
rules such as having flat screen television and air conditioning unit in his jail cell.6
According to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 
10592 "Good Conduct" — refers to the conspicuous and satisfactory behavior of a 
detention or convicted prisoner consisting of active involvement in rehabilitation 
programs, productive participation in authorized work activities or accomplishment of 
exemplary deeds coupled with faithful obedience to all prison/jail rules and 
regulations.7
With the infractions above-stated, how can Antonio Sanchez be qualified for 
good conduct time allowance for his alleged "good conduct'?
In the light of the recent controversy, this bill seeks to improve Republic Act 
No. 10592 so that the meritorious principle of the law upon which it is based can be 
implemented, safeguarding it from abuse of powerful personalities whose years of 
imprisonment have not changed a bit the crooked and villainous character that made 
them commit crimes for which they have been convicted. This biil seeks to prevent 
the capricious, arbitrary, and abusive implementation of Republic Act No. 10592.
This bill proposes several measures such as digitalization of prison records to 
ensure that there would be prompt and accurate information of the time served by a 
prisoner. Computation of remaining service must be tpansparent and available to the 
public in order to preserve the integrity of our pen^l^sys^pm. For tjied^ purposes, the 
passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
ICHAR
. GORDON
enator
4 https://www.philstar.cx3m/headlines/2019/08/21/1945203/ex-mayor-antonio-sanchez-set-release
5https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/8/22/Antonio-Sanchez-early-release-murder-rape-UP-Los-Banos-
students.html.
6 Id.
1 Rule III, Section 1 (p), Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10592, IRR-RA 10592, March 
26, 2014.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of tlif fefcrrtarp
SENATE S.B. No. 974
'19 
AUG 28 
A8 5 6
Introduced by Senator Richard J. GordofiEa,VwJli ■
AN ACT
DEFINING GOOD CONDUCT, INSTITUTING ADDITIONAL MEASURES FOR 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOOD CONDUCT TIME ALLOWANCE, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE ARTICLES 97 AND 99 OF ACT NO. 3815, 
AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE
Be it  enacted b y  the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Article 97 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised
2 
Penal Code, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
3 
"ART. 97. Allowance for good conduct -  The good conduct of any offender
4 
qualified for credit for preventive imprisonment pursuant to Article 29 of this
5 
Code, or of any convicted prisoner in any penal institution, rehabilitation or
6 
detention center or any other local jail shall entitle him to the following
7 
deductions from the period of his sentence:
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"1. During the first two years of imprisonment, he shall be allowed a deduction
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of twenty days for each month of good behavior during detention;
10 
"2. During the third to the fifth year, inclusive, of his imprisonment, he shall be
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allowed a reduction of twenty-three days for each month of good behavior
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during detention;
13 
"3. During the following years until the tenth year, inclusive, of his
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imprisonment, he shall be allowed a deduction of twenty-five days for each
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month of good behavior during detention;
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"4. During the eleventh and successive years of his imprisonment, he shall be
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allowed a deduction of thirty days for each month of good behavior during
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detention; and
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"5. At any time during the period of imprisonment, he shall be allowed another
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deduction of fifteen days, in addition to numbers one to four hereof, for each
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month of study, teaching, [or] mentoring service, OR AUTHORIZED PRISON
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WORK time rendered.


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"An appeal by the accused shall not deprive him of entitlement to the above 
allowances for good conduct."
" GOOD CONDUCT' REFERS TO THE FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE TO ALL 
LAWS RULES AND REGULATIONS INCLUDING PRISON/JAIL RULES 
AND REGULATIONS AND SATISFACTORY BEHAVIOR OF A DETENTION 
OR CONVICTED PRISONER CONSISTING OF ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT 
IN REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, PRODUCTIVE PARTICIPATION IN 
AUTHORIZED 
WORK 
ACTIVITIES 
OR 
ACCOMPLISHMENT 
OF 
EXEMPLARY 
DEEDS 
INDICATING 
PRISONER'S 
REMORSE, 
REHABILITATION AND APTITUDE TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE AND 
LAW-ABIDING MEMBER OF SOCIETY ONCE RELEASED."
"PROVIDED 
THAT 
RECIDIVISTS, 
HABITUAL 
DELINQUENTS, 
ESCAPEES, 
PERSONS 
CONVICTED OF 
HEINOUS 
CRIMES AND 
PERSONS CHARGED WITH ANOTHER CRIMINAL OFFENSE WHILE 
SERVING SENTENCE ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE COVERAGE OF ART. 
97 OF THIS ACT."
"PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT A PRISONER WHO IS FOUND TO BE IN 
VIOLATION OF GOOD CONDUCT, AS DEFINED IN  THIS ACT, SHALL 
FORFEIT ALL HIS OR HER ACCRUED GOOD CONDUCT TIME 
ALLOWANCE EARNED. A PRISONER WHO IS IN VIOLATION OF GOOD 
CONDUCT SHALL BE ALLOWED TO START OVER AND EARN HIS OR 
HER GOOD CONDUCT TIME ALLOWANCE."
"THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS (BUCOR) AND THE BUREAU OF JAIL 
MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY (B3MP) SHALL UNDERTAKE THE FULL 
DIGITALIZATION OF ALL PRISON RECORDS AND SHALL DESIGN AND 
USE A COMPUTER-GENERATED OR AUTOMATED TEMPLATE TO 
MONITOR 
THE 
PROGRESS 
OF 
DETAINEES 
OR 
PRISONERS 
CONVICTED BY FINAL JUDGMENT, CAPABLE OF INCORPORATING 
TIME ALLOWANCES THAT MAY BE GRANTED TO EACH OF THEM."
"IN  ADDITION, A WRITTEN COMPUTATION TABLE OR MANUAL OF 
PREVENTIVE 
IMPRISONMENT 
OR 
SERVICE 
OF 
SENTENCE 
INCORPORATING TIME ALLOWANCES SHALL BE PREPARED AND 
USED AS THE PRIMARY OFFICIAL REFERENCE BY THE BUCOR, BJMP 
AND PROVINCIAL JAILS."
"A LIST OF PRISONERS WHO MAY BE RELEASED PURSUANT TO THE 
APPLICATION OF THIS PROVISION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO 
THE PUBLIC IN THE WEBSITE OF THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS AND 
THE BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY AND POSTED IN 
CONSPICUOUS PLACES IN PRISONS AND IN THE CITY OR MUNICIPAL 
HALLS WHERE THEY ARE DETAINED AT LEAST 6 MONTHS FROM 
THEIR SCHEDULED RELEASE, AT WHICH TIME THE BUCOR AND THE 
BJMP MAY STILL ACCEPT FROM THE PUBLIC OPPOSITIONS ON THEIR


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RELEASE AND SHALL RULE ON THE BASIS OF THE MERITS UNDER 
EXISTING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS."
SEC. 2. Article 99 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"ART. 99. Who grants time allowances. -  Whenever lawfully justified, the 
Director of the Bureau of Corrections, the Chief of the Bureau of Jail 
Management and Penology and/or the Warden of a provincial, district, 
municipal or city jail shall grant allowances for good conduct. [ Such allowances 
once granted shall not be revoked]."
"PROVIDED THAT THE COMPUTATION OF GOOD CONDUCT TIME 
ALLOWANCE AND THE GRANT OF SUCH SHALL BE REVIEWED BY THE 
BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLE."
SEC. 3. Appropriations. - The initial amount necessary for the implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the current fiscal year's appropriations of the 
Department of Justice for all jails under the Bureau of Corrections and the Department 
of Interior and Local Government for all jails under the Bureau of Jail Management 
and Penology. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued 
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act 
of the respective departments.
SEC. 4. Repeating Clause. -  All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 5. Separability Clause. -  If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect.
SEC. 6. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of 
general circulation in the Philippines.
Approved,