Comendador urges people with arrest warrants to yield
PRO-7 chief welcomes voluntary surrenders involving fugitives
Police Regional Office (PRO-7) Director Patrocinio Comendador Jr. yesterday welcomed the decision of some fugitives to voluntarily surrender to authorities.
“There’s a saying that goes and suggests ‘surrender while surrendering is still good,’” he said in an interview.
Instead of hiding, Comendador said it would be better for those who have existing arrest warrants or those who have committed infractions to yield to the police.
“They should take advantage of the opportunity. They may not have this kind of situation in the coming days so they better surrender now,” he said.
At least three fugitives have surrendered to Cebu City policemen in the last few days.
Last June 1, 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 in 2015, he killed a man who allegedly bullied his neighbors.
He said he surrendered to Bastes since he wanted to change his life.
Two days after, John Glenn Arao-arao, a suspected carnapper who hid for two years in Tanauan town, Leyte, surrendered to another official of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), for fear of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.
Arao-arao was tagged by police as the No. 1 most wanted carnapper in Cebu City.
Last Wednesday, Benjie dela Cerna, the driver of a getaway motorcycle used in the ambush of Crisostomo Maternal Jr., a Baptist Church pastor who actively campaigned against illegal drugs in Barangay Bonbon, Cebu City, surrendered to the Cebu City Intelligence Branch.
He was convinced by relatives to surrender to avoid getting shot by policemen tracking him down.
Comendador said he’s happy with the series of voluntary surrenders involving fugitives.
“They know how serious we policemen are in our campaign against crime,” he said.
Anyone who surrenders, he said, will be allowed to plead mitigating circumstances and get a reduced penalty.
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