Lewis tipster gets $5,000 reward

The informant who helped immigration authorities arrest Mark Anthony Lewis, a wanted American serial rapist, received yesterday his $5,000 reward from the United States government.

The informant, Danilo Angeles, who was code-named "Gemini," received his reward from Jim Nixon, head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) station in Manila, at the office of Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez.

Rodriguez disclosed that aside from the $5,000 reward, "Gemini" will also receive an additional $10,000 which was raised from donations by the Filipino community in Chicago. Nixon also presented Rodriguez a letter from FBI Director Louis Freeh commending the former for the "expeditious" deportation of Lewis, adding that the fugitive’s arrest "epitomizes the excellent working relationship between your bureau and our (FBI) legal attache in Manila."

Angeles was responsible for pinpointing the whereabouts of Lewis, a US Army veteran and health worker who fled to Manila last July 23, barely two days after raping his latest victim, a Hispanic immigrant in Chicago.

Lewis was arrested Aug. 3 by immigration agents led by Reynaldo Rillo, Reynald Bustillo and Cresencio Ablan at the Coastal Mall in Parañaque City.

Investigation revealed that the American fugitive had a live-in Filipina partner and was in Manila. He went into hiding after news of his flight to Manila was leaked to the local media.

The US Embassy said Lewis was wanted in Illinois on several charges of home invasion and criminal sexual assaults committed in Chicago between April 7 to July 19. All, except one of his victims, were, of Asian descent. He had been charged for each assault.