AFP to award P22M to NPA, ASG informants

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will hand over on Friday a total amount of P22 million as reward to informants who have shared vital information that led to the arrest of top Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) members.

“The past few months we have arrested high value targets led by communist leader Benito Tiamzon. The monetary reward is ranging from P150,000 to as high as P10,000,000,” AFP public affairs chief Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato told reporters on Thursday.

Tiamzon, CPP-NPA chair, was arrested in Cebu in March last year with his wife, Wilma, the group’s finance chair, after two months of surveillance by military operatives.

The communist leader has a bounty of P10 million.

Asked why the cash reward for the Tiamzon arrest was late considering that it happened over a year ago, Detoyato said it underwent a process.

“May proseso yan … May supporting documents pa yan at ibibigay sa concerned units so ngayon lang. Pinagsama-sama na lang ang bibigyan ng awards para isang okasyon na lang,” he said.

The tipster who had given information that led to the arrest of communist leader Dionisio Almonte (alias Maeng/Enol/Oman/Noli/Jojo/Telo) in Valenzuela City in January last year will be given P5 million. The communist leader was wanted for kidnapping, murder, and rebellion.

The informants of the following communist/terrorist leaders will also be given cash rewards:

· NPA leader Dominador Javier alias Bobbing, for murder and arson cases. Killed in operations in Cagayan in October 2014, Javier has a bounty of P600,000.

· NPA leader Ricardo Reyes alias Tubong/Mando/Bong, for kidnapping and illegal detention cases. He was killed in law enforcement operations in Abra in September 2014 and carried a reward of P3.35 million.

· NPA leader Brandon Magranga alias Albee/Adon/Jean, for murder cases. He was killed in operations in Abra last September 2014 and had a bounty of P150,000.

· Abu Sayyaf member alias Imambakal/ Abdugalpar, for murder cases. Arrested in Basilan in March, he carried a reward of P1 million.

· Abu Sayyaf member Algaber Said alias Talha, for kidnapping and illegal detention cases. He was arrested in law enforcement operations November 2012 and carried a bounty of P600,000.

· Abu Sayyaf member Caharudin Silongan Lacman, for murder, multiple frustrated murder and multiple attempted murder cases. He was arrested in Maguindanao in November 2014 and had a reward of P1.3 million.

AFP chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri will lead the awarding of the informants at the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence in Camp Aguinaldo.

The handing over of rewards to tipsters was based on a joint order of the Department of National Defense and Department of Interior and Local Government in 2012.

“Time and again na-prove natin na effective ito pero may mga pagkakataon naman na talagang kahit walang reward ay maraming tumutulong sa atin,” Detoyato said.