Arao-arao (in white) said he’s scared of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte that is why he decided to surrender. (CDN PHOTO/ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL
For fear of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, a carnapping suspect surrendered to an official of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) on Friday evening after two years of hiding in Tanauan town, Leyte.
John Glenn Arao-arao, whom police tagged as the number one most wanted carnapper in Cebu City, presented himself to Supt. Aileen Recla, chief of the Cebu City Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB).
Arao-arao, a resident of Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City, was convinced by his brother and a Barangay Intelligence Network volunteer to surrender.
“Nakulbaan ko kay si Duterte ra ba ang nidaog (I was scared because Duterte won the presidency),” he said in an interview at IDMB office.
“Nahadlok ko kay iya ra bang propaganda nga limpyohan ang Pilipinas (I got scared because his propaganda was to clean the country from lawless elements),” he said.
Arao-arao was the second fugitive who surrendered to the police in two days.
Last Wednesday, Raymart “Macmac” Conahap, an alleged hitman from Barangay Carreta, Cebu City, went to the police headquarters and surrendered to Supt. Michael Bastes, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB).
Conahap, who is facing murder charges in court, admitted that he killed man for bullying his neighbors in 2015.
He said he surrendered to Bastes since he wanted to change his life.
Recla said she believed that some criminals feared a Duterte presidency as well as the program of Cebu City Mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña’s to extend financial assistance to policemen who could kill criminals.
“Now, two fugitives surrendered. I think that would be the trend now. I urge other fugitives to come into the open so they could clear their names. It’s definitely hard to keep on hiding themselves from the arms of the law,” she said.
Although Arao-arao was accused of stealing just one vehicle, Recla said the suspect is the top most wanted carnapper in the Oplan Lambat-Sibat program in Cebu City.
The program focuses on crimes that include homicide, murder, robbery and carnapping.
Arao-arao is facing carnapping charges after his eldest sister of selling their family-owned vehicle in 2014.
He was charged with carnapping in court and had a warrant of arrest against him. Arao-arao was set to post bail of P100,000 on Monday.
Arao-arao said he went to Tanauan in Leyte to hide.
To provide for his needs, he worked as a helper of a hardware store in Tanauan.
He admitted that he sold their family-owned vehicle for P60,000 to provide the needs of their ailing father who was recuperating from stroke.
Arao-arao said he asked his sister’s permission but the latter allegedly didn’t agree.
“I was forced to sell the vehicle so we would have money to buy for papa’s food,” he said.
While hiding in Leyte, Arao-arao said he was convinced by his brother and a BIN volunteer to surrender.
He said he was hoping that his sister would drop the case against him.