Insubordination, negligence or just lack of compassion?

Republic Act No. 10592—An Act Amending Articles 29, 94, 97, 98 and 99 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code—was signed and approved into law by President Aquino on May 29, 2013, with specific instructions for the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to promulgate its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) within 60 days from its approval.

Article 29 is the provision on the “Period of preventive imprisonment deducted from term of imprisonment”; Article 94,  on the “Partial extinction of criminal liability”; Article 97, on the “Allowance for good conduct”; Article 98, on the “Special time allowance for loyalty”; and Article 99, on “Who grants time allowances.”

More than 200 days have passed, but the much-awaited IRR has yet to be promulgated. Is it insubordination, negligence or simply lack of compassion for the welfare of their strayed brethren and their suffering families?

—ROBERT C. MARQUEZ, Commando Brotherhood, Samahang Bulakenyo; EDWIN DALIPE, Batang City Jail 32 (Int’l); EDGAR LAPITAN, Happy Go Lucky Brotherhood; GAMALIEL LEDDA JR., SALVINO SUMINGWA, Genuine Ilocano Group; BENEDICTO RAMOS, EVP Pastoral Council, RCC; ALBERTO GONZALES, Sputnik Brotherhood Int’l