P200-M reward for Marwan capture remains unclaimed

MANILA, Philippines – The reward for the arrest of slain Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, estimated at over P200 million put up by the United States and Philippine governments, has not been handed over to the informant.

“The reward is not yet claimed, but it is now in the process and it will go to the informant that led to the location of Marwan,” Philippine National Police Intelligence Group chief Director Fernando Mendez said yesterday during the resumption of the Senate public hearing on the incident in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015 where 44 police commandos were killed.

It was Sen. Vicente Sotto III who asked the police officials about the $5-million reward put up by the US government for Marwan’s arrest. The Philippine government offered a counterpart bounty of P7 million.

Members of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) launched the operation to get Marwan and Filipino cohort Basit Usman in Mamasapano. The raiding team killed Marwan in the operation. Usman escaped but was later killed in another encounter.

The SAF troopers pulling out from Marwan’s hideout clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and private armed groups that resulted in the death of the 44 policemen, 18 rebels and five civilians.

A year after the incident, Mendez said the grant of the reward is still being processed at the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command.

The police official was also quick to deny reports that police officials might be interested in getting a share of the reward.

Rules bar military and police officers from collecting bounties for the capture of fugitives.