It pays to snitch; informants set P5.2M bounty

Developer Delfin Lee and former Palawan Gov. Mario Joel Reyes. INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Two informants became millionaires after getting their reward money for tipping off authorities on the whereabouts of developer Delfin Lee and fugitive rebel leader Grayson Naogsan.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima led the turnover of P5.2 million to the informants Monday at his office in Camp Crame.

The two men were responsible for leading policemen to the arrest of Lee, owner of Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings Corp., and Naogsan, a New People’s Army (NPA) leader.

“Our two instant millionaires deserve every single centavo for their courage in providing information that led to the arrest of Lee and Naogsan,” Purisima said.

The PNP earlier offered a P2-million reward for information leading to Lee’s arrest and P3.2 million for Naogsan. The money came from the PNP Confidential Intelligence Fund.

Lee, an embattled developer facing a P6.6-billion syndicated estafa case, was arrested last March 6 at the Hyatt Hotel in Manila by Task Force Tugis, then led by Senior Supt. Conrad Capa.

Naogsan, a notorious NPA leader operating in the Cordillera region, was apprehended in November 2012 in Baguio City by the Intelligence Group, the Cordillera regional police and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

He is facing 10 court cases, mostly for murder, for his alleged involvement in raids and ambushes of government troops from 2003 to 2012, which killed 23 soldiers and a barangay official and injured 30 government troops.

“May this inspire others who know where other wanted persons are hiding to do the same,” Purisima said.

Meanwhile, the PNP is preparing the release of the P2-million reward for retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, who was arrested in Manila last week after years of hiding.

Palparan is facing charges before a Malolos court for the abduction of two University of the Philippines students in 2006.

The other big-time fugitives on the PNP list are former Palawan Gov. Mario Joel Reyes, his brother Coron Mayor Mario Reyes and Dinagat Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr.

Purisima said the reward money for the tipster who led authorities to Palparan will be released immediately once the reward valuation committee receives and deliberates on the application from the main arresting unit.

It was a joint force of the AFP and the National Bureau of Investigation that nabbed the fugitive general last Aug. 12.

“We have strict procedures to follow so that the reward money will be released to the rightful claimant,” Purisima stressed.