3 tipsters get reward for capture of rebels

The Provincial Anti-Insurgency Task Force led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia awarded yesterday three informant-members of the Barangay Intelligence Network who were responsible to the disclosure of New People’s Army rebel personalities in the province.

Each of them received P30,000 as recommended by the committee on information, rewards and incentives chaired by P/SSupt. Augusto Marquez, the chief of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division of Police Regional Office-7.

The three informants were responsible in tracking down the NPA rebels’ hideout in Cebu’s mid-north area and the arrest of Gerard Lavadia and Sharon Abangan who were extorting money in an establishment in San Fernando town.

Garcia said that the giving of reward was the realization of her commitment to give incentives to those who could be of help in the arrest of prominent NPA rebel personalities in the province.

She reiterated her call to establishments never to give in to demands of rebels for payments of so-called revolutionary tax.

Garcia said that those companies that give in to blackmails better move out, as they have no place in here.

She also strongly criticized the commentary that appeared in another paper, saying that, "for the meantime the government must go beyond mere calls. Rather, it should come up with concrete and workable measures that would ease fears."

"I will continue to assure their protection," Garcia said.

She explained that the reward system is to encourage the BIN and even ordinary citizens to come up with information in order to put a stop to these communist crooks.

She challenged those who have brighter ideas to step forward and discuss with the task force if they have the so-called "concrete protection" other than the mere calls.

Provincial Board member and chairman of the committee on peace and order, Jose Ma.Gastardo, agreed with the governor by saying the provincial government is bent on raising the amount of the reward, as the bulk of information gathered is significant to the maintenance of peace and order.

Meanwhile, Marquez has assured the informants and members of the BIN that aside from the reward money, they will also give them police protection.

"I assured those who would want to speak out and give information we can secure them 24/7 for their protection," Marquez said.

There was no categorical statement whether those BIN informants were already given firearms for their protection. – Gregg M. Rubio and Ramil V. Ayuman