Duterte raises to P5M bounty for killers of Negros cops

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has raised to P5 million the bounty for the capture of those behind the brutal killing of four police officers in Ayungon, Negros Oriental.

“We wish to inform the public that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has raised the reward money to PhP5M for the capture, dead or alive, of the killers of the Negros policemen and to P100,000 for every participant in the killing,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

“The President has also issued a stern warning that the members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros have gone overboard and that their killings have become brazen and unbridled where men in uniform, as well as civilians,  are murdered with impunity,” Panelo added.

The President initially set the reward at P1 million, but he later raised it to P3 million.

READ: Duterte raises bounty to P3M to capture killers of Negros cops

“The land disputes in Negros have escalated to killings among — and between — the claimants,” Panelo said. “The communist rebels have exploited the land unrest and turned the province into a quasi-state. They have arbitrarily chosen who will own the lands subject of the controversies surrounding them.”.

“The Chief Executive,” he added, “is cautioning the enemies of the state in the island of Negros that he will use his emergency powers under the Constitution to quell the lawless violence engulfing the island, as well as to crush all forms of threats aimed to destroy the government.”

According to him, “the President will obey the constitutional command to serve and protect the Filipino people at any cost, and to fiercely save the Republic from imminent ruin.”

“The President vows to replicate the atrocious acts done by the communist rebels to the civilians, the barangay officials and the law enforcers against these murderers in defense of our countrymen,” he said.

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