Fear driving surrender of suspects
The brutal war on crimes and drugs that President-elect Rodrigo Duterte vowed to launch is producing results even before it is officially carried out, driving a wave of surrenders of suspects in many areas nationwide that authorities attribute to fear of getting killed once the campaign gets on its way.
In Cebu province, police said at least three suspects surrendered in less than a week.
One of them was Pablito “Pablo” Loberanis, tagged most wanted drug suspect in Mandaue City, who turned himself in on Wednesday to the Mandaue police’s investigation and detective management branch.
Asked why Loberanis surrendered, police quoted him as saying he wanted to start a new life.
Police also said Loberanis got scared of Duterte’s campaign and sensed lawmen already tailing him.
Four days earlier, John Glenn Arao-arao, tagged most wanted car theft suspect in Cebu City, also turned himself in.
“I got scared because Duterte won the presidency. I am afraid because he promised to clean the country of lawless elements,” Arao-arao said in Cebuano.
On June 1, a suspected hired gun, Raymard “Macmac” Conahap, surrendered to the Cebu City police.
Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, Mandaue City police chief, said Loberanis was a priority target of the police.
Loberanis, said Cabal, controlled the supply of “shabu” in Mandaue.
Cabal said Loberanis gave himself up after Duterte offered a bounty of initially P5 million for every dead drug lord. Duterte has increased the bounty to P5.5 million in Cebu province.
Upon his surrender, Loberanis handed over an unlicensed submachine gun, gun parts and ammunition and P10,000 worth of shabu.
“I am scared of the new policy (against illegal drugs),” said Loberanis who was locked up at the Basak police station.
He would be charged with illegal possession of firearms, violation of the gun ban and drug trafficking.
Loberanis said he surrendered also because he didn’t want his children to discover his illegal activities.
“I don’t want to show them that this is how I earn a living,” the suspect said.
In the town of Surallah, South Cotabato province, police said fear of Duterte’s pronouncement to kill drug suspects prompted the surrender of at least 23 users and pushers.
Chief Insp. Joel Fuerte, Surallah town police chief, said the suspects who surrendered were asked to sign papers saying they gave themselves up and were admitting involvement in the drug trade.
The police force of Surallah, said Fuerte, had furnished all village officials with a list of drug suspects, which also serves as warning to suspects to reform or face dire consequences. With a report from Edwin O. Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao
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