Former Zamboanga del Norte congressman Romeo Jalosjos is set to leave National Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after serving more than 11 years in prison for the rape of a minor.

Bureau of Corrections chief Gen. Oscar Calderon said Jalosjos received his release papers on Wednesday. He said, however, that the former congressman is still in the BuCor compound.

“Tomorrow will be the official release but today I have issued his release order. We have to undergo documentations and processing before a person could be released. So we estimate by tomorrow he will be officially released,” said Calderon in an interview on ANC’s “Dateline Philippines.”

The BuCor chief said he received confirmation from Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez about his authority to grant Jalosjos penal colony status.

He added that while Jalosjos is still in the BuCor premises, he is “technically a free man.” Prior to receiving his release order, Jalosjos had a living out status which allowed him to move around in the vicinity of the BuCor compound.

Jalosjos was convicted by a Makati City court in 1997 for two counts of statutory rape and six counts of acts of lasciviousness under the Revised Penal Code. His victim was an 11-year-old girl.

He was initially sentenced to two life terms and was ordered to pay P400,000 in civil indemnity and P400,000 in moral damages but his sentence was commuted by President Arroyo to 16 years, three months and three days on June 13, 2007.

The convicted child rapist was reportedly freed in recognition of the several good deeds he has done while in detention, which includes demonstrating good behavior and helping improve the NBP’s facilities.

Last February, the Department of Justice confirmed that it might release Jalosjos more than ten years after his conviction.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said his office has received a letter from the Bureau of Corrections recommending Jalosjos’ release. According to BuCor officials, the former congressman had already served his 16-year jail sentence as of December 14, 2008.

Gonzalez said his office is reviewing BuCor's computation of Jalosjos' sentence. He said keeping prisoners in jail after they have served their sentence is arbitrary detention.