AFP informants get P27-M reward money

AFP Chief of Staff General Jessie Dellosa. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday handed over P27.5 million in reward money to more than a dozen informants whose reports led to the arrests of Abu Sayyaf, New People’s Army and other rebel leaders.

AFP vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu distributed the reward money to 16 informants, who wore caps and bonnets to hide their faces, at the General Headquarters Conference Room in Camp Aguinaldo.

“We are grateful to all the informants who played an important part in assisting the AFP in tracking down and neutralizing key leaders, subleaders and members of these armed threats,” AFP chief Gen. Jessie Dellosa said in a statement.

“These were realized as the IPSP (Internal Peace and Security Plan) Bayanihan is taking its course through the cooperation of our partners, civilians and government agencies alike,” he said.

The 16 informants were instrumental in the arrests or killing of five Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leaders, five NPA members and six members of a rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front special operations group.

The “neutralized” ASG leaders included Albader Parad (who had a P7.4-million bounty on his head); subleaders Ustadz Muhaimin Ismael Latip and Abdulla O Ajijul (with a P3.3-million bounty each); and members Paradja Majirul and Hasirul Baliyung (who had P350,000-bounty). All of them had standing warrants for their arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

Some of the informants were also instrumental in the capture of rogue MILF subleader Nabel M Pantaran and Special Operations Group (SOG) members Camarodin Hadji Ali, who carried a P1.2-million bounty; and SOG Members Ustadz Abdulbayan Guimblang and Badrudin Dalungan, who both had a P600,000-bounty. SOG Member Baguir Maliga Sampao (with a P350,000-bounty) was killed during a combat operation.

Information provided by the tipsters also led to the arrest of five NPA leaders Tirso Alcantara and Maria Luisa M Purcray, who carry a P2.6-million reward money; Cirila Estrada (who had a P1.3-million bounty), Gelina Villanueva (P1.2 million) and Gerry C Esquivel (P55,000).