Few days after it increased the reward for the capture of several high-profile fugitives, Malacañang is discouraging people from becoming bounty hunters.
At a radio briefing, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte took the case of seven fugitives as an exemption.
“We are not encouraging people themselves to go out and search for the fugitives,” said Valte who even described Malacañang’s most wanted as “not ordinary fugitives.”
“Based on experience, giving out a higher amount of money for reward has always yielded better results,” she added.
It was the Office of the Presidential Spokesman that announced the whopping figures representing the reward to individuals who could provide vital information leading to the arrest of the so-called “high-profile wanted personalities.”
Five of the seven fugitives had P2 million on their heads, while the remaining two, believed to be communist insurgents, have existing rewards of P5.6 million each.
The five fugitives who had the rewards for their capture raised to P2 million are former Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., who was linked to the disappearance of two activists in 2006; former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, charged in the murder of environmentalist-broadcaster Gerry Ortega in 2011; former Dinagat Islands Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr., who was found guilty of his wife’s murder; Reyes’ brother, former Coron mayor Mario Reyes, also wanted for Ortega’s murder; and Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings president Delfin Lee, accused of defrauding the government of billions of pesos in housing loans.
A combined reward of P5.6 million each was also put up for information leading to the capture of Benito Tiamzon, leader of what is believed to be the hardline faction of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, linked to attacks on civilian targets and Jorge Madlos, a CPP-NPA personality also linked to high-profile attacks on civilian targets and economic projects in Mindanao.
Reacting to the remarks made by the Catholic Church, Valte warded off an observation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines National Secretariat for Social Action-Justice and Peace (Nassa) official Fr. Edu Gariguez that the reward system manifests a failing criminal justice system under the Aquino administration.
Gariguez said it was not good to offer reward money because capturing fugitives should be strictly police work.
“The government should really show the effectiveness of the criminal justice system and prove the capabilities of our authorities in arresting criminals,” Gariguez said.