A total of P27.6 million in reward money was awarded by the military to informants who provided information that led to the neutralization of threat personalities in Mindanao.

The informants were awarded in a ceremony at the OJ2 Multi-Purpose Hall, Intelligence Service Armed Forced of the Philippines (ISAFP) Compound in Camp Aguinaldo Thursday.

During the ceremony, AFP Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr. handed over the cash rewards to ten informants whose identities were concealed for their security.

Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP public affairs chief, said through information shared by awarded tipsters, “eight Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members and cohorts, and two communist terrorist leaders were either killed or arrested in law enforcement operations conducted by the AFP in coordination with the Philippine National Police.”

Among the known terrorist personalities neutralized were Ahmad Akmad Batabol alias ‘Basit Usman’ with a P6.3 million bounty on his head.

Detoyato said Usman “is a bomb expert and a globally notorious terrorist who is one of the associates of Marwan.”

“He is included in the United States most wanted terrorists list,” he said.

Detoyato said other terrorist neutralized were “ASG members Muhiden Abdusalam Uyong alias ‘Waning Abdusalam’ with P3.7 million; Kiri Hamid Sahiron with P3.3 million; Mustapha Guindalangan alias ‘Tha’ with P1.2 million.”

“Arrested ASG cohorts with rewards were Basit Balahim alias ‘Ballan’ and Regin Onsing Nazirin alias ‘Sahirun’ with P1 million each; and Abdullah Mutalib and Aldimar Sangkula alias ‘Kompol-Kompol’ with P600 thousand each,” he said.

“The Communist terrorist leaders arrested were Eduardo Genelsa alias ‘Lando’ with P5 Million and Ricardo Ampan Manili alias Joker with P4.9 million,” he added.

Detoyato said “cash reward system that started in 2001 is aimed at encouraging citizens to join in the AFP and other law enforcement agencies’ counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency efforts.”

“This is also part of the military’s campaign towards a whole-of-nation approach in attaining the shared goal of a just and lasting peace and development for the country,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS