CPP leaders' tipster to get P5.6M

MANILA, Philippines - At least P5.6-million in reward money awaits the tipster who provided information that led to the capture of communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the board tasked to give rewards to tipsters would soon meet to thresh out the details related to the giving of the bounty.

“We still have to wait until the board meets but most definitely there will be a reward to be given for the information,” Zagala said.

“I do not have the updated figures yet but it (reward) will be at least P5.6-million,” he added.

Zagala declined to provide information about the tipster, citing security reasons.

“I’m not sure if there are other (informants),” he said.

The grant of rewards to tipsters is provided under the Joint Circular 2006-1 of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

The reward system is being implemented by the Joint Rewards Valuation Committee to encourage the public to join the drive against insurgency and terrorism.

Zagala said the tip relayed by the informant was valuable because locating the Tiamzons has been a challenge.

“The informant must truly believe in the cause of the government and they will be taking risks on our behalf. I want you to know that the motivation of any informant to the government is not monetary alone,” he said.

“They (tipsters) are convinced that the information they will give will be beneficial, for the good of everyone and monetary reward is a way for us to ensure that the one who will give us the information will be secured.”

Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and five other communist rebels were nabbed by security forces on Saturday at around 3:15 p.m. in Barangay Zaragosa, in Aloguinsan, Cebu.

The Tiamzons are facing 15 counts of murder and were arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by a regional trial court in Leyte.

Benito is the chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) while his wife Wilma is the group’s secretary-general.

Security officials claimed the arrest of the Tiamzons would result in a leadership vacuum in the rebel movement but the CPP belied this, saying it has an orderly succession system.

Planted evidence?

Meanwhile, the military denied allegations that the weapons recovered from the Tiamzons were planted.

“They were arrested while they were in their vehicles and when they were arrested, the search of their vehicles was done in their presence and there are pictures and video of them and these are now part of the evidence against them,” Zagala said.

“Nothing was planted. There was regularity in the action. Investigative procedures were followed,” he added.

The military said the weapons that were recovered from the Tiamzons’ vehicle were a Colt cal. 45 pistol, a Norinco 9 mm pistol, a Kimber 9 mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson cal .357 revolver, three magazines and 17 rounds of ammunition for cal .45, a magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition for 9 mm pistol, six rounds of ammunition for cal .357 and two hand grenades.

Zagala is confident that the arrest of the Tiamzons would stand the scrutiny of the courts. The camp of the Tiamzons claimed that the weapons found inside the vehicle were planted but Zagala said such statements are expected.

“It’s but natural that they will say that but we prefer that they say that in court rather than to media,” he said.

48 rebels surrender

As this developed, the Army claimed that a total of 48 communist rebels have surrendered to the government since Saturday, the day the Tiamzons were arrested.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato said 43 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered to the 8th and 68th Infantry Battalions in Maramag Bukidnon on Saturday.

He said the rebel returnees were former members of the NPA Guerilla Front 6, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
The group also turned over 36 assorted firearms, to include M14 rifles, M16 rifles, Garand rifles, Cal .45 pistols, and homemade shotguns.

Detoyato said five more insurgents surrendered last Monday also in Bukidnon and turned over seven assorted firearms.

“The surrender can also be attributed to the effective collaboration among various stakeholders like the local government units and officials who support the Army’s campaign for peace,” he said in a statement.