City releases counterpart of cash reward

MAYOR Celso Lobregat has turned over on Wednesday afternoon to Philippine National Police (PNP) the City Government’s counterpart reward worth P80,000 for the neutralization of the notorious kidnap-for-ransom-group (KFRG) leader included in the region’s 10 most wanted persons.

The counterpart reward money was received by Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles, police regional office director, who in turn will hand it over to the informant.

The informant will receive a total of P280,000 -- P200,000 from the DILG and P80,000 from the local government.

Lobregat commended the authorities for the successful operation against Wahid Pingli, the KFRG leader who was killed in an encounter with government troops on Sunday afternoon at Sitio Tambak, Landang Laum village, Sacol Island, east of Zamboanga City.

Pingli, who is number three in the list of 10 most wanted persons in the Zamboanga Peninsula Region, was said to be the head of the group responsible for various kidnapping and serious illegal detention and murder in the region.

A combined police and military forces went to Sacol Island to serve on the Pingli brothers the warrants of arrest.

However, the suspects resisted arrest from the authorities; then a firefight ensued between the two groups. Pingli was killed while his companion managed to escape.

Lobregat said the reward money will eventually be turned over to the informant.

The mayor believed the reward money is very helpful and effective in neutralization of criminals and other lawless elements.

“The only way to really stop criminality is to catch the criminals and on this particular case, it was a successful operation,” Lobregat said.

Estilles thanked the City Government for the support to the efforts of the police, as he vowed, on behalf of the police force in the city and the region, to stay committed to law enforcement and peace keeping efforts. (Bong Garcia)