Gov't considering to reward speedy capture of suspects in Mindanao blasts

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government is considering to come up with a reward system for the immediate arrest of the suspects in the spate of bombings in southern Philippine island of Mindanao, a senior government official said today.

Philippines' Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the reward system is one of the issues discussed in the security cluster meeting which President Benigno S. Aquino III presided over on Thursday in Malacanang, the presidential palace.

"There are several details that are being checked out and that are being finalized...so we'll let you know once there are final figures (of the reward)," she said.

Aquino earlier said that there were three groups who were allegedly behind the recent explosions that ripped Southern Philippine cities of Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato and other parts of Central Mindanao, leaving at least 16 people dead.

He said that the bombings were desperate acts by "a small sector dead set against the attainment of peace in Mindanao."