Davao City’s most wanted man finally captured

DAVAO CITY — The city’s most wanted man who had terrorized residents of far-flung Paquibato district, forcing more than 700 families to flee their homes at one time, finally fell into the hands of the law last Black Saturday.  

Handcuffed and wearing a camouflage vest with various amulets pinned on it, Dante Lumuyod, alias "Kumander Dante," was presented to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte at City Hall last Monday afternoon.

"I have no choice but I admit that I am Kumander Dante," Lumuyod told reporters.

Lumuyod confessed that he led a 20-man anti-communist group in the hinterlands of Paquibato district.

The group has been notorious for harassing residents not only of Paquibato but of some parts of adjoining Marilog district, extorting food, goods and money and resorting to killings if the villagers refuse.

Lumuyod’s admission disproved the military’s claim that he is Leonardo Pitao, alias Kumander Parago, leader of the New People’s Army’s Pulang Bagani Command based in Paquibato.

Some local groups have accused the military of supporting Lumuyod in his anti-insurgency campaign. The military has repeatedly denied the allegation.  

Lumuyod’s arrest came after Paquibato bewailed the failure of government authorities to capture him in a series of public hearings of the city council.

During the hearings, some residents even volunteered to go after Lumuyod themselves.

Duterte initially offered a P50,000 reward for Lumuyod’s arrest but later raised the amount to P100,000 when Lumuyod went on a rampage upon learning about it.

The P100,000 bounty, according to Duterte, will be used as seed money for livelihood projects in Paquibato barangays.