CIDG working on FB page for fugitives

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is working on a Facebook account dedicated to featuring the country’s fugitives in order to warn the public and seek help in bringing the fugitives to justice, an official said yesterday.

“We will use the popular social media in our manhunt operations,” said CIDG director Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong, who noted that they have been receiving information from concerned citizens through the CIDG’s official Facebook account, Cidg Pnp.

The CIDG chief supported the call of Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto for agencies like the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to start using social media to inform the public about fugitives.

Magalong has instructed the CIDG’s Public Information Office to start setting up the Facebook account dedicated to featuring fugitives.

The CIDG is going after a total of 1,313 fugitives, including the so-called Big 4 – retired General Jovito Palparan, former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and his brother Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, and Dinagat Island Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. Each of them has a P2 million bounty on his head.

Earlier, the PNP’s Task Force Usig arrested Globe Asiatique developer Delfin Lee, considered the fifth among the high-profile fugitives, but his camp maintained that the arrest was illegal since he has been delisted from the list of wanted persons. The court has ruled that the arrest was legal.

At least P223 million in cash rewards are available to anyone who can provide information on the 1,313 fugitives, Magalong said.