Supt. Aileen Recla of the Cebu City Investigation and Detective Management Branch (left) presents John Glenn Arao-arao to media after the latter surrendered to her. (CDN PHOTO/ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL)
For fear of what would happen to him when President-elect Rodrigo Duterte assumes office, a carnapping suspect who hid for two years in Tanauan town, Leyte surrendered to an official of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Friday evening.
John Glenn Arao-arao, whom police tagged as the number one most wanted carnapper in Cebu City, voluntarily 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. Isog kaayo. Nahadlok ko kay iya ra bang propaganda nga limpyohan ang Pilipinas (I felt anxious when Duterte won the presidency. He’s fearless. I was afraid because his promise is to clean the country from lawless elements),” he told Cebu Daily News in an interview at the IDMB office.
Arao-arao was the second fugitive who surrendered to policemen in two days.
Last Wednesday, Raymart “Macmac” Conahap, an alleged hitman from Barangay Carreta, Cebu City, went to the police headquarters and voluntarily surrendered to Supt. Michael Bastes, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB).
Conahap, who is facing murder charges in court, admitted that he killed a man who allegedly bullied his neighbors in 2015.
He said he surrendered to Bastes since he wanted to change his life.
Recla believed some criminals fear a Duterte presidency and Cebu City Mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña’s program to extend financial assistance to policemen who can kill criminals also helped as well.
“Now, two fugitives voluntarily 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 arm 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.
Recla said Arao-arao’s ranking in the crime list was based on the gravity of the offense.
“If you look at it, the recommended bail for his offense is P100,000. What he did was a serious offense,” she said.
Arao-arao was accused by 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 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, but he said he had to, in order to provide for the needs of their ailing father who is recuperating from stroke.
Arao-arao said he sought the permission of his sister but the latter allegedly didn’t agree.
“Napugos gyud ko og baligya sa sakyanan kay wala na may makaon si papa (I was forced to sell the vehicle so we will 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’s hoping that his sister will withdraw the charges against him.
“Gamay ra man unta ni kay problema man ni sa pamilya (This is supposedly a small problem because this case is just a problem involving the family),” he said.
Arao-arao is set to post bail of P100,000 on Monday.