By Romie A. Evangelista

The Bureau of Corrections has endorsed to the Justice Department the request of convict Romeo Jalosjos to reconsider his status after serving his sentence owing to good conduct credits.

Undersecretary Oscar Calderon, director, said the confirmation of his good conduct time allowance as penal colonist would grant him a credit of one year, six months and 17 days, thus covering his penalty.

The former congressman from the First District of Zamboanga del Norte, who will turn 69 years old this year, was convicted by the Makati Regional Trial Court on Jan. 18, 1997 for two counts of statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness committed against a minor girl.

He appealed his case to the Supreme Court which affirmed the lower court?s decision that meted him a life sentence. He has been behind bars for 11 years, 10 months and 29 days as of Dec. 16, 2008.

On March 1, 2007, the Board of Pardons and Parole recommended the commutation of Jalosjos? sentence to the Office of the President, which reduced the life term to 16 years, three months and three days.

But the computation of his commulative prison service?the GCTA under Article 97 of the Revised Penal Code, the additional GCTA under Republic Act 1533 and the privilege GCTA as penal colonist?made his release controversial.

Amid protests of anti-child abuse advocates, the Justice Department recommitted him to the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Mindanao and later turned over to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

The bureau, in its Dec. 24 recommendation last year, noted that given the regular GCTA under RPC Article 97, Jalosjos had been credited for two years, nine months and 27 days, as approved by a Justice resolution on Jan. 1, 2008.

?The confirmation of his privilege GCTA as penal colonist would grant him another credit of one year, six months and 17 days, which would certainly and completely make his commuted sentence fully served,? said Calderon.

On record, Jalosjos is considered a living out inmate without the usual restrictions on convicts in maximum security. But following regulations, he is barred from leaving the prison compound.