P300-M bounty fund set up vs criminal gangs

The government is putting up P300 million in reward money for a new executive-legislative initiative to crush kidnap-for-ransom and other criminal syndicates and terrorist groups operating in the country, Speaker Jose de Venecia said yesterday.

Emerging from a closed-door breakfast meeting with congressional leaders and security officials at the National Security Council (NSC) building, De Venecia said the rewards would be given to those who expose leaders or members of kidnap-for-ransom syndicates and terrorist groups.

The reward payments for information leading to the arrest and disbanding of these criminal groups "will become effective on Jan. 1," De Venecia said. Barangay officials who expose members of kidnap and terrorist groups will also be rewarded.

This reward system, he said, will boost the anti-terrorist and anti-kidnapping operations of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

President Arroyo earlier ordered the placement of police checkpoints in strategic places in Metro Manila following the abduction and murder of Coca-Cola executive Betti Chua Sy and the kidnapping of a 10-year-old Filipino-Chinese girl in front of her school.

De Venecia said he has asked House appropriations committee chairman and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. to include the allocation of the reward money in the final Senate-House bicameral conference committee report on the P864.8 billion General Appropriations Act (GAA).

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said the move was "well received by leaders of the intelligence community."

"We definitely welcome this support from Congress for additional funding for the operations of the AFP and PNP," Golez said, as he cited continuing threats from the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group and kidnapping syndicates.

Deputy Speaker and Iloilo Rep. Raul Gonzalez was also at the meeting, while Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier and Sens. Robert Barbers and Ramon Magsaysay sent representatives.