Sunwest construction officials send surrender feelers amid manhunt

TWO of the three at-large officials from Sunwest Construction and Development Corporation have reportedly expressed their intent to surrender, according to the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Police Major General Robert Alexander Morico II, the acting director of PNP-CIDG, announced in a press conference Monday that while a manhunt is ongoing for all three individuals, two have sent “surrender feelers” through their relatives.

According to Morico, the officials’ fear stems from a lack of legal representation. “We must understand that the three individuals we are searching for held high-ranking positions in that company, but they were essentially dummies. So, basically, they do not have the money and capacity to pay for a lawyer,” he explained.

Morico added that relatives of the two officials have reached out to authorities, acting as a back channel. “Apparently, they don’t have a personal lawyer and seem to have been abandoned, so they are also afraid. I think the CIDG’s credibility is well established, and we will respect their rights. That’s why certain relatives sent word that they are willing to surrender in time,” Morico stated.

The PNP-CIDG continues its manhunt operations for the remaining official and is coordinating with the relatives of the other two to facilitate their surrender.