The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday awarded P1.1 million worth of reward money to the tipster who informed authorities on the presence of an Abu Sayyaf bandit in Tubigon last week.
Mayor William Jao told the Chronicle that the amount was personally handed over by Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Matanguihan, commander of the 302nd Brigade, to the informant at Camp Gov. Lino Chatto in Tubigon.
The turnover was conducted during the formal takeover of Lt. Col. Eufracio Joel Malig Jr. as the commander of the Bohol-based 47th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.
According to Jao, he was among several witnesses of the money’s turnover.
Maj. Gen. Jon Aying, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, Gov. Edgar Chatto, Clarin Mayor Allen Piezas and Inabanga Mayor Josephine Jumamoy also witnessed the informant’s receipt of the amount.
The reward money was given to the tipster for relaying information which led to the capture of Saad Samad Kiram, alias Abu Saad, on Thursday last week.
Kiram was among the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf bandits who infiltrated Inabanga and engaged government troops in a firefight in Clarin last month.
He went out of hiding last week to ask villagers for food in Barangay Tanawan, Tubigon but was arrested after authorities acted on a tip regarding his whereabouts.
Kiram was gunned down a day after he was collared as the militant allegedly escaped from police custody while he was being transported to the Bohol District Jail and resisted arrest when authorities caught up with him. (Rey Tutas)