EDITORIAL - Let Marohombsar save himself

Under Faisal Marohombsar, the Pentagon gang perpetrated its most high-profile kidnapping capers. Among its most prominent victims were Italian priest Giuseppe Pierantoni, Chinese engineers and Korean nationals. For its efforts, the gang earned millions of pesos in ransom, although the government consistently denies such payments to kidnapping groups.

Marohombsar later had a falling out with his cohorts, with a financial double-cross seen to be the main cause. A new man took over the helm of the Pentagon gang, and Maro-hombsar was subsequently arrested under mysterious circumstances in Quiapo, Manila. Earlier this year he escaped from his detention cell at the office of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, right inside Camp Crame, headquarters of the Philippine National Police. The PNP has yet to adequately explain how Marohombsar escaped.

Now Marohombsar wants to surrender, according to the govern-ment. He’s said to be discussing the terms of his surrender, mainly with the man who negotiated a controversial preliminary agreement with the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Last week Pre-sident Arroyo announced that Marohombsar had surrendered, only to be corrected on radio by the fugitive himself. No one has been punished for that flap.

Now why would a fugitive want to turn himself in after escaping? Marohombsar faces prosecution for capital offenses. Is he in a hurry to be on death row? He reportedly wants to turn state witness and help in the manhunt for Pentagon gang members. But the government has already said that as leader of a kidnapping group, he is not qualified to turn state witness. Charges against him are unlikely to be dropped.

The most likely reason for Marohombsar’s offer to surrender is because he has nowhere to run. Reports said Pentagon gang members are out to kill him, and even the MILF is reportedly helping in the manhunt. In offering to surrender, Marohom-bsar wants to be rescued by the government. Why indulge him?