Developer Delfin Lee and former Palawan Gov. Mario Joel Reyes. INQUIRER PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揟wo informants became millionaires after getting their reward money for tipping off authorities on the whereabouts of developer聽Delfin聽Lee and fugitive rebel leader Grayson聽Naogsan.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan聽Purisima聽led the turnover of P5.2 million to the informants Monday at his office in Camp聽Crame.
The two men were responsible for leading policemen to the arrest of Lee, owner of Globe聽Asiatique聽Realty Holdings Corp., and聽Naogsan, a New People鈥檚 Army (NPA) leader.
鈥淥ur two instant millionaires deserve every single centavo for their courage in providing information that led to the arrest of Lee and聽Naogsan,鈥澛燩urisima聽said.
The PNP earlier offered a P2-million reward for information leading to Lee鈥檚 arrest and P3.2 million for聽Naogsan. The money came from the PNP Confidential Intelligence Fund.
Lee, an embattled developer facing a P6.6-billion syndicated聽estafa聽case, was arrested last March 6 at the Hyatt Hotel in Manila by Task Force聽Tugis, then led by Senior Supt. Conrad聽Capa.
Naogsan, a notorious NPA leader operating in the Cordillera region, was apprehended in November 2012 in Baguio City by the Intelligence Group, the Cordillera regional police and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
He is facing 10 court cases, mostly for murder, for his alleged involvement in raids and ambushes of government troops from 2003 to 2012, which killed 23 soldiers and a barangay official and injured 30 government troops.
鈥淢ay this inspire others who know where other wanted persons are hiding to do the same,鈥澛燩urisima聽said.
Meanwhile, the PNP is preparing the release of the P2-million reward for retired Maj. Gen.聽Jovito聽Palparan, who was arrested in Manila last week after years of hiding.
Palparan聽is facing charges before a聽Malolos聽court for the abduction of two University of the Philippines students in 2006.
The other big-time fugitives on the PNP list are former Palawan Gov. Mario Joel Reyes, his brother聽Coron聽Mayor Mario Reyes and聽Dinagat聽Rep. Ruben聽Ecleo聽Jr.
Purisima聽said the reward money for the tipster who led authorities to聽Palparan聽will be released immediately once the reward valuation committee receives and deliberates on the application from the main arresting unit.
It was a joint force of the AFP and the National Bureau of Investigation that nabbed the fugitive general last Aug. 12.
鈥淲e have strict procedures to follow so that the reward money will be released to the rightful claimant,鈥澛燩urisima聽stressed.