PNP offers bounty for arrest of Caraga highway robbers

BUTUAN CITY — Caraga Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Alberto Rama Olario said yesterday that prize money from the Philippine National Police (PNP) intelligence fund will be given to anybody who can offer information that may lead to the arrest of the dreaded highway robbery gang, identified as the Brillantes Group, headed by former Citizens Armed Forces Geographic Unit (CAFGU) member Jimmy Brillantes.

The notorious Brillantes Group was suspected to be behind the series of highway robbery incidents along the national highway in the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte, including the latest incident that killed one army officer and wounded five others.

"Brillantes has about seven to ten members armed with M-16, M-14 armalite rifles, shot guns and caliber .45 pistols and are reportedly distributing their loot, ala Robinhood, to people who hide the group from pursuing law enforcers," Olario said.

To neutralize the dreaded robbery gang, Olario said that the PNP in Caraga region is offering a P50,000 reward for information on the dreaded robbery gang. He said that they are also proposing to the PNP national office in Camp Crame to provide another P500,000.

The PNP and the Philippine Army in Caraga are now conducting joint manhunt operations against the suspects.

The series of highway robberies and holdup incidents have already caused alarm and worry to private and public commuters as robbers had started victimizing even law enforcers.

Public utility vehicles plying the national highway in Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte have shortened their evening schedule due to the danger of robbery.

The arrest of the dreaded highway robbery and holdup gang leader Joel Saray, 38, last Aug. 13 by intelligence operatives of the Caraga Police in Barangay Baoy, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte failed to stop the highway robberies.

Saray, considered as the most wanted criminal in Surigao del Norte, is the leader of the notorious Saray group composed of former CAFGU members and lumad criminal elements.