RANKING MIL;ITARY and police officials on Wednesday gave a total of PHP15.4 million worth of cash rewards to four informants who provided government forces with information which led to the neutralization of seven terrorists, including former ISIS emir in Southeast Asia and Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and the Daesh-inspired Maute Group leader Omar Khayam Maute.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff, Lt. Gen. Felimon T. Santos Jr., and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa led the ceremony held in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Santos and Gamboa handed the money to the informants whose identities, sex, and other affiliations were concealed for security reasons.
The first informant received a total of PHP12.4 million for provided vital information that led to the neutralization of Hapilon and Maute during joint law enforcement in Marawi City on October 16, 2017.
Hapilon had a PHP7.4 million bounty on his head while the reward for Maute is placed at PHP5 million.
Meanwhile, a PHP600,000 reward was given to a tipster who helped government forces arrest Jumar Ibrahim of the Maute Group who is wanted for several criminal cases and atrocities.
Ibrahim was apprehended by joint AFP and PNP elements in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City in December 2018.
Another informant was awarded PHP600,000 for information that led to the fall of Abu Sayyaf leader Mohammad Aklam Said, who was killed during an encounter with government forces on August 26, 2016 in Patikul, Sulu.
Meanwhile, the PNP awarded PHP1.8 million to an informant who helped police operatives arrest Bads Adjam, also known as Abu Jihad, Adjid Isnani or Adjid Halik, and Adam Muhadam or Junior Hali.
These wanted personalities who are all members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group have a PHP600,000 bounty each on their heads. The three ASG members were arrested in different operations by joint PNP and AFP elements from June to July 2016.
The reward system was established on June 12, 2001, to encourage civilians to provide vital information needed to neutralize personalities in the rewards list and thwart threats to peace and security.
The system is managed through the AFP-PNP Joint Reward Valuation Committee which is chaired by the AFP deputy chief-of-staff for Intelligence and his PNP counterpart.
Santos, in his opening statement, said the event highlights the manifestation of the sustained partnership between the populace, the AFP and PNP in attaining the shared goal of lasting peace and development for the country.
"The AFP and PNP are grateful to all who came forward notwithstanding their personal risks and provided timely and critical information vital in the neutralization of several high-valued personalities. These persons whose continued operation placed peace-loving citizens at greater risk since they were already responsible for heinous and atrocious crimes committed against our people and the nation," he added.
Also, the AFP chief called on the Filipino people to continue reporting to authorities any suspicious individuals or activities in their surroundings.
"The fight against terrorism and the preservation of peace is a shared responsibility of everyone so we should all do our part in this whole of nation approach towards peace and development. We encourage every Filipino as well as the media to actively participate in protecting our country and in making our communities safe," Santos said.
Meanwhile, Gamboa said the four deserved every single centavo of the money they received for their courage to provide information that led to the arrest of these wanted terrorists and their cohorts.
"Let me just emphasize that the amount received by our informants is monetary consideration offered by the government for information that led to the arrest or neutralization of wanted criminals and terrorists," the PNP chief said. (By Priam Nepomuceno)
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