The Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Monday reported that two of the three Sunwest Construction and Development executives being hunted by authorities have sent feelers to surrender.
PNP-CIDG Acting Director Police Major General Robert Alexander Morico II said the three are still in the country and hold high positions in Sunwest but serve only as “dummy” executives, which he said explains why they lack the financial capacity to hire legal representation.
According to Morico, the two individuals expressed fear because they do not have a lawyer, and their families reached out to authorities after gaining confidence that the CIDG would respect their rights.
"We must understand that these individuals who are here locally have high positions in the company but they are just ‘dummy’ so basically they do not have the money and capacity to pay for a lawyer,” Morico said in Filipino.
“Of course they don’t have a personal attorney and apparently they were left behind so they are afraid also. I think the credibility of CIDG is well established that we are going to respect their rights that’s why their relatives delivered to us that they are willing (to surrender) in time,” he added.
Morico did not identify the two, but assured them that their rights will be protected despite the active arrest warrant.
“You know there is a warrant of arrest and we can’t wait. If we get to them first, that's fine, so if they are listening right now, we assure them that their human rights will be respected by CIDG.”
Earlier, the PNP-CIDG and the National Bureau of Investigation attempted to serve warrants at a hotel in Pasay City for Sunwest directors Consuelo Dayto Aldon, Anthony Li Ngo and Noel Yap Cao, but the individuals were not found.
To date, nine individuals are already in police custody in connection with the alleged anomalous P289-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
The manhunt continues for several others, including Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, DPWH materials engineer Timojen Sacar, and Sunwest personnel Aderman Alcazar and Cesar Buenaventura. Sacar was last reported to have been seen in Israel. Morico said police are coordinating with their attaché to bring the DPWH official back to the country.