US awards $10 million to four Filipino tipsters whose information helped in the neutralization of the top two ASG leaders

By Ronron
June 7, 2007

The United States government on Thursday awarded four Filipinos with 10,000 US dollars for providing information to Philippine authorities that led to the neutralization of the top two leaders of the terror Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), officials said.

US Ambassador to Manila Kristie Kenny and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. led the awarding ceremony held yesterday morning at the Hall of Justice of the Sulu Provincial Capitol in Jolo town.

The four recipients, all male and local residents of Sulu, covered themselves from head to foot to protect their identity for their personal safety.

Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, deputy commander of the AFP Western Mindanao command, said in a phone interview that one of the four led military troops to the location of Khadaffy Janjalani’s group in Patikul, Sulu last September, 4 2006 that resulted in an encounter and his death.

The two others, who are former ASG members who have surrendered to authorities, led the military last December 27, 2006 to the place in Patikul where Janjalani’s remains were buried.

At that time, Janjalani has a standing $5 million bounty on his head offered by the US government.

Meanwhile, the last recipient was the one who tipped the military about the location of Jainal Antel Sali, Jr., popularly known as Abu Solaiman, resulting in an encounter last January 16 in Talipao, Sulu and causing his death.

Solaiman, the second highest-ranking leader of the ASG who is regarded as the brains of the group, was also carrying a $5 million dollar bounty from the US government.

Both Janjalani and Solaiman were involved in various terrorist attacks of the ASG in the past few years that claimed lives of American citizens, among others.

“I’m proud to give $10 million to brave citizens. I’d be proud to give $10 million more to other citizens who will step forward and keep this country safe,” Kenney said in a speech during the awarding ceremony.

A US Embassy statement said, “the rewards were provided through the US Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s Rewards for Justice Program.”

“The reward payment on June 7 is the largest Rewards for Justice payment in the Philippines since the program began in 2002,” the statement said.

Col. Mark Antonio Supnet, commander of the Philippine Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade based in Jolo, Sulu, said he expects that the awarding event will encourage local residents in the strife-torn island province to cooperate further with the authorities to end the problem of terrorism.

Sabban said he also hopes that the speculations about Janjalani’s unconfirmed death, as spread by the latter’s brother, Hector, who is in jail in Taguig City, will now end.

Sabban disclosed the four tipsters are now under the witness protection program of the government and are on the process of changing their identities./DMS