Big-time fugitives: 3 down, 5 to go

The arrest of retired Army general Jovito Palparan on Tuesday brought the number of nabbed "big-time" fugitives under the Aquino administration up to three—all accomplished in the space of 12 months. But that still leaves the government with five more high-profile fugitives to hunt down.

The government a few years back had placed a bounty on each of what it then called the "Big Five Fugitives": Palparan, Globe Asiatique president Delfin Lee, former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother former Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, and former Dinagat Island Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr.

With no arrests made yet, in August 2012 President Benigno Aquino III decided to increase the reward money to P2 million for each of the Big Five. Despite an increased bounty, the big-time fugitives remained elusive for another year—until pork barrel fund scam Janet Lim-Napoles surrendered in August 2013.

Although not considered one of the "Big Five," Napoles was instantly considered a high-profile suspect, given that the fund scam she was allegedly masterminding was said to involve P10 billion and dragged public officials from lawmakers to ranking officials of government agencies.

Then last March, Big Five fugitive Lee, who is accused of using fake documents to secure billions in pesos' worth of loans for "ghost" borrowers, was arrested by PNP Task Force Tugis outside the Hyatt Hotel in Malate.

Five months later, on August 12, Palparan was captured inside a small rented room in Sta. Mesa after almost three years in hiding. He is wanted for the disappearance of two UP students in June 2006.

From Big 5 to Big 6

Originally called the "Big Five," the group of big-time fugitives was eventually branded either the "Big Six" when Napoles was still being hunted down. After Napoles' surrender, the monicker for the fugitives remained the "Big Six" with the addition this time of Napoles' brother, Reynald Lim, who like his sister is wanted in the serious illegal detention case lodged by Napoles' former employee and fund scam whistleblower Benhur Luy

With the detention of Napoles, Lee, and Palparan, lawmen are left to track down the remaining five big-time fugitives: Lim, the Reyes brothers, Ecleo, and former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II.

In a press conference following Palparan's arrest on Tuesday, De Lima said Aquino expects the remaining big-time fugitives to be collared soon.

"Isa-isa na nga po sila nahuhuli. Mrs. Napoles, Delfin Lee and now Palparan and now the efforts to trace the other big time fugitives, the Reyes brothers, Ruben Ecleo, Napoles' brother, ongoing naman iyan," De Lima said, adding that both the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines continue to hunt them down.

"Let's not forget ang paghahanap kay Cezar Mancao kasi nga tinakasan kami. Kasama yan sa hinahanap," De Lima said.

Joel and Mario Reyes

The Reyes brothers, wanted for the murder in January 2011 of Palawan-based broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega, slipped out of the country in March 2012, a few days before arrest warrants were issued against them.

The two reportedly flew to Vietnam, with Joel Reyes supposedly using a fake passport under the name "Joseph Lim Pe." The brothers have since been cleared by the Court of Appeals, but the Ortega family had earlier signified their intention to elevate the matter to the Supreme Court.

Reynald Lim

Lim, who has been at large since he was ordered arrested by a Makati court for his non-bailable offense last year, recently failed in his bid before the Court of Appeals to nullify the arrest warrant against him.

Ruben Ecleo, Jr.

In 2012, Ecleo was convicted of strangling his wife to death in 2002, and was meted a life sentence or reclusion perpetua by a Cebu court. He was also ordered to pay P25 million in damages to the family of his late wife, Alona Bacolod-Ecleo.

Two of Alona's siblings and her parents were massacred in their home in Mandaue City in June of the same year, believed by surviving family members to be a brutal attempt by Ecleo's men to frighten them from testifying. They testified anyway.

Ecleo still managed to be elected congressman of Dinagat Island in 2010 but has been dropped from the rolls following his conviction for parricide and three counts of graft.

Ecleo, the leader of the Dinagat-based cult Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, is still at large and has yet to serve his sentence.

Cezar Mancao

In 2013, Mancao escaped from his cell at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila hours before he was to be transferred to the Manila City Jail.

Mancao later told De Lima he escaped because he feared for his life if he were to be brought to the city jail. "Mamamatay po ako dun. Ipapapatay po ako dun," De Lima quoted Mancao as telling her.
 
In his escape, Mancao even left a note inside his detention cell at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila.
 
"Please don't get my things w/o inventory. I am only a victim of injustice. Please understand my situation... Tnx -- C.M.," Mancao wrote.

Mancao II is facing murder charges for the sensational November 2000 twin killings of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

'A matter of time'

De Lima during Tuesday's press conference urged the remaining fugitives to finally yield to authorities.

"Kung ako po kayo o sila, mag-surrender na lang po kaysa sinasayang niyo po ang panahon at resources ng gobyerno sa paghahanap sa inyo. Alam niyo naman po na you cannot be in hiding forever. Darating ang panahon na susuwertuhin ang authorities na hulihin sila. It's a matter of time," she said.

The Justice Secretary said that the longer these fugitives remain at large, the less their chance of getting a favorable ruling from the courts.

"Kung lalo kasing tumatagal na nagtatago, these are points against you. Kasi instead of justifying circumstance ang ike-credit sa kanila ang ike-credit lang sa kanila ay exempting or aggravating circumstances because flight is an admission of guilt. That is basic," she said. — BM, GMA News