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MANILA — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday 1,700 convicts who were freed early for good behavior should be sent back to prison after questions were raised over the legality of their release.

Duterte told a news conference the 1,700 inmates, some of them imprisoned for rape and murder, had 15 days to surrender or they would be considered fugitives.

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“If I were you, I would surrender to the nearest police or military detachment wherever you are now,” Duterte said, adding he would offer a bounty for inmates who failed to do so.

“I will place 1 million pesos ($19,065) per head, dead or alive,” he said.

Duterte demanded the resignation of his prisons chief, accusing him of disobeying an order not to release inmates convicted of heinous crimes.