US, Southcom to give $100,000 bounty to tipster

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The military confirmed that the United States, in coordination with Armed Forces Southern Command (Southcom) chief Lt. Gen. Gabriel Habacon, will give tomorrow a $100,000 reward to a Filipino whose tip led to the arrest of a bandit wanted for kidnapping.

The unnamed Filipino will receive the bounty for information leading to the arrest of Toting Hanno, alias Jacaria, in January 2005, US Embassy spokesman Matt Lussenhop said.

Hanno was part of a gang of Abu Sayyaf bandits that kidnapped a group of tourists and hotel workers, including three Americans, in May 2001.

Peru-born Californian Guillermo Sobero and Christian missionary Martin Burnham died in captivity in Mindanao.

Southcom information chief Maj. Gamal Hayudini said US Embassy officials will personally visit Southcom headquarters to turn over the bounty under the US Reward for Justice (RFJ) program."The reward is part of the US government program to help in the early neutralization of terrorists," Hayudini said.

Sobero was beheaded by his captors while Martin Burnham and Filipina nurse Edibora Yap were murdered by the bandits during a rescue operation by Filipino troops in June 2002 that led to the recovery of Burnham’s wife, Gracia.

The Abu Sayyaf has carried out numerous bombing and kidnappings against Christians and foreigners in the Philippines for over a decade. It has been linked by intelligence officials to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, blamed for the September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

The US government has already paid millions of dollars in bounties for wanted terrorists in the Philippines, including a $1-million bounty to three informants whose tips helped Filipino law enforcers neutralize Abu Sayyaf leader Hamsiraji Sali in April 2004.

Sali was one of five Abu Sayyaf leaders wanted by the US government for the abduction of Americans. The military also neutralized flashy Abu Sayyaf spokesman Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya in June 2002, two weeks after Gracia Burnham’s rescue.

Still at large and on the US wanted terrorists list are Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffi Janjalani, Isnilon Hapilon and Jainal Antel Sali, alias Abu Solaiman. The US government’s bounty for the neutralization of each of these Abu Sayyaf leaders is $5 million. — With AFP