The Philippine National Police yesterday awarded P2,335,000 reward to confidential informants who provided vital information that led to the arrest of 22 Most Wanted Persons listed on the PNP Order of Battle of persons wanted by the law for various criminal offenses.
PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome formally turned over the rewards to seven informants in symbolic ceremonies representing 18 claimants of the P2.33 million aggregate amount of reward.
The amount was funded from the PNP Reward System administered by the Directorate for Intelligence under Police Director Ager Ontog Jr.
Ontog told Bartolome the release of rewards was duly approved by the Board of Officers on Reward based on DILG Memorandum Circulars that offer rewards for wanted persons.
Bartolome listed accounting of wanted persons on top of his service agenda as 17th Chief of the PNP.
The PNP arrested 14,109 wanted persons over the first five months of 2012. Among the wanted persons arrested, 74 are listed among the country’s Top Most Wanted Persons (TMWP) with monetary reward offered for their capture.
Among the TMWP arrested recently were Jonathan Carpio with P1 million reward; Sahibul Sailani with P300,000 reward; Datu Ipi Ampatuan with P300,000 reward; Macario Tadina with P300,000 reward; Julian Bonares, P300,000; Zacaria Pama Akil, P250,000; Sonny Kamsa Pandi, P250,000; Arnold Cinco, P200,000, and Lord Catabay Menor, P200,000.
Last May 29, the PNP awarded P2,410,000 reward to 16 confidential informants who provided information that led to the arrest of 17 Top Most Wanted Persons.
PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. clarified the amount offered by government for the arrest of wanted persons is not a bounty but a reward for the information that they provide resulting in the arrest of the wanted persons.
“In effect, we are simply buying information. This is not the same as dead or alive bounty for wanted persons,” the PNP spokesman said.