MANILA -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said it will upgrade the inter-agency database of completed and pending criminal case reflecting developments in the implementation of Republic Act 10592 on the expanded good conduct time allowance (GTCA)for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
Representatives from the DOJ, Supreme Court (SC), Department of the Interior Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) are set to sign the agreement on the National Justice Information System (NJIS) on Friday.
Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said the hardware and software for the system are operational but needs adjustment for the amendments to the GCTA implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
“The infrastructure is already up and ready though the software will be tweaked because of the amendments to the GCTA IRR. The data digitization and uploading will have to be completed still,” Perete said in a message to reporters.
“My understanding is it’s immediately operational, but its full benefits will depend on complete data digitization and uploading,” Perete added.
The NJIS is a network where different systems relating to prisoners, cases handled by the judiciary to research materials on criminal and other prosecutions.
On Friday, the agencies will sign four memoranda to build up the data to be housed in the network.
Among other things, the network will address situations similar to the brouhaha over the implementation of the GCTA last year where PDLs were granted time allowance regardless of whether they had been convicted of heinous crimes that are not covered by the law.
Official prison records or 'carpetas' of PDLs at times do not note the offense of the convict but only the time to be served. (PNA)
