Authorities give P5 million reward to informant that led to arrest of alleged top CPP official

By Ronron
January 31, 2008

A man who provided authorities information about the presence of alleged Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) official Elizabeth Principe in Metro Manila late last year received on Thursday a P5-million reward money from the government.

The man, who did not show any skin from head to toe to protect his identity, received the cash money contained in a bag from National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias and National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) chief Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in turn-over rites at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“It’s time that we give due reward to people risking their lives to apprehend and eventually prosecute enemies of the State,” Mesa told reporters after awarding the reward money to the informant.

Refusing to elaborate, Mesa said the informant “helped us” in getting Principe, 56, last November 28 in Cubao, Quezon City. Principe was arrested by joint operatives from the Philippine Army, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police.

“He is well-placed. He has good access to information,” Mesa said when asked to describe further the informant.

According to authorities, Principe has standing six arrest warrants issued by different courts in Region 2 for the following criminal cases: rebellion in Ilagan, Isabela; kidnapping with double murder in Ilagan, Isabela; robbery with murder in Bambang, Nueva Viscaya; robbery with murder in Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya; robbery with murder in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Viscaya; and robbery with arson in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Viscaya.

She is described by both the military and police as a regular member of the CPP Central Committee, and the Secretary of the CPP’s Cagayan Valley Regional Committee.

But the CPP claimed that Principe is a peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, therefore she must be immune from arrest by Philippine authorities.

“That is their allegation but she has arrest warrants. And nobody is above the law. So, it (her arrest) is a legal order,” Mesa insisted yesterday.

Mesa said the reward money came from the Department of National Defense and it is given “definitely” to encourage other informants to come out.

Mesa said the NCRPO and NCRCOM jointly remain on alert against the presence of CPP and NPA elements in the capital./DMS