ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Six informants, including former Islamic militants, shared a P5.8-million reward for helping the military arrest and neutralize five Abu Sayyaf leaders and a communist commander, authorities said.
The informants, who were wearing hoods to conceal their identities, received the reward from Col. Andrew Costales, Western Mindanao Command chief of staff, and Col. Rhoel Sorilla of the Joint Staff for Intelligence of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Costales said the reward program is part of the AFP’s holistic approach in flushing out the leaders of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf and New People’s Army.