P3-M bounty given out for slay of Abu leader

ZAMBOANGA CITY ,Philippines  – The US Pacific Command and the Philippine military yesterday awarded $70,000 (roughly more than P3 million) in cash rewards to civilian informants who helped in the neutralization of an Abu Sayyaf leader last month.

Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command, said the cash rewards were personally given to the civilian informants at the headquarters of the Special Operations Task Force-Basilan in Barangay Tabiawan, Isabela City.

“There was no media coverage for security reasons. There was no information on how many (informants were given rewards),” Cabangbang said.

Abu Sayyaf leader Suhod Tanadjalin was killed by the elements of the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion during a raid in Tuburan, Basilan last Feb. 8.

Cabangbang said Tanadjalin was wanted for a number of kidnappings, including the kidnapping of 20 people, including three Americans, in a Palawan resort in 2001.

The slain Abu Sayyaf leader was also tagged in a bombing attack in Lamitan town last year. – With Rose Tamayo-Tesoro, Alexis Romero