By Hanah Tabios The suspect in the hit-and-run case involving the daughter of two ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is now under police custody after he voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Friday morning. He was identified as Mark Joshua Penarubia, 23, an employee with contract service with the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI in Los Banos, Laguna. “Nagtago po ako sa sobrang takot,” he said in a phone interview. Penarubia told the Manila Bulletin that he was under the influence of alcohol when he hit and bumped the victim, Edilyn Lopez, 23, a university researcher at the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB). The victim’s father, Police Lieutenant Colonel (PLTCOL) Edison Lopez, a division chief in Camp Crame, however, said his daughter remains unconscious until now. The victim’s mother is Police Lieutenant Colonel Marelyn Lopez, assistant chief of police of a town in Cordillera province. “Gamot na lang po ang nagpapahinga sa kanya,” the victim's father said. Police report revealed that around 9:42p.m. on Wednesday, the victim, who was driving a Ford Everest along with her boyfriend, was traversing the national highway heading towards Los Banos crossing when a Honda City accidentally bumped the victim’s vehicle at the back. “Bumaba yung magboyfriend pareho sa sasakyan para i-check yung driver ng Honda. Nasa inner lane sila pareho at nakahazard. Tapos yung boyfriend bumalik sa sasakyan parang may kukunin lang, pagbalik niya, nakahandusay na yung girlfriend niya,” investigator-on-case Police Corporal Ruperto Lapitan Jr. said. Apparently, Edilyn was sideswiped by another vehicle as she was checking on the driver of the Honda sedan. It was Penarubia who was driving the Nissan Sentra that hit Edilyn. “Nakainom po kasi ako Ma’am, di ko kita ang daan at saka nakareading glass ako noon,” he averred. Fearing for his life, he said he returned to his office late in the evening and hid there after returning the vehicle to his residence. But on Friday, his relatives convinced him to surrender to authorities. He is now facing reckless imprudence resulting in physical injury and damage to property as charge.