Congress to give more to Palace reward fund

SEVERAL House members on Wednesday immediately responded to a Palace directive for them to contribute a portion of their Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) to a reward system that the President hopes would end political killings in the country.

House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Simeon Datumanong pointed out that if all the 238 members of Congress would give their share, the lawmakers can raise P59,500,000, way more than the P25-million target of the President.

“It would be more than enough to entice informants to talk and help solve the killings,” Datu-manong said.

Jovito Palparan from the party-list group Bantay whose name was constantly dragged in extrajudicial killings during his stint in the military said he would support Malacanang’s call, but added the campaign should be concentrated on areas where extrajudicial killings are rampant.

Rep. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr., of Cavite for his part, urged Speaker Prospero “Boy” Nograles Jr., to make a collective action in responding to the call of President Arroyo.

Failure to stem crime

But some lawmakers rejected President Arroyo’s order to put up the reward system calling it an admission of failure to stem crime and uphold justice.

They said the CDF should not be used for such purposes since it is intended for much-needed projects and undertakings for the general welfare of the people.

The Arroyo administration has been harshly criticized for the continuing political and media killings in the country and the inability of the government to halt attacks.

A human rights group said more than 930 people were killed, among them critics of the government, since Mrs. Arroyo came to power in 2001.

United Nations special expert on extrajudicial killings Philip Alston said during a visit to the country in 2007 that elements in the military were responsible for many of the murders.

Militants doubtful

For the militant lawmaker Rep. Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, “the money will only be used by state agents to intensify the ongoing persecution of progressives.”

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said the order addresses only the latest spate of killings that appear to have partisan political or personal vendetta angles.

“It tends to draw attention away from the longer list of extrajudicial killings of political activists since 2001 that have been ascribed to state security forces by the Melo Commission and Alston,” Ocampo said.

Solution to media killings

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the P25-million fund established by President Arroyo “will not only address political killings but also murders of media practitioners.”

Ermita said “the fund could also be utilized by agencies fighting this problem to intensify their campaign and upgrade their equipment.”

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) would be the lead government agencies for the utilization of the fund, he said.

In a separate interview, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the government is still finalizing the establishment of the fund but added that it could be ready in two weeks to a month.

Out to get Sison, Rosal

For its part, the DILG has approved the P18-million reward money for any information of the suspects involved in the 20 cases of media killings, the PNP announced Wednesday.

Among the top personalities being hunted by the PNP are Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines and Rogelio “Ka Roger” Rosal, spokesman of the New People’s Army, the military arm of the CCP.

Sison is still living in self-imposed exile in the Netherlands, while Rosal, who is reportedly seriously ill, is hiding somewhere in Southern Luzon.

In a press conference, Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome, spokesman of the PNP said that the DILG recommended P10 million reward on Sison’s head while Rosal had P5 million.

 “The PNP will scrutinize all information before they give the necessary reward,” Bartolome told Crame reporters after he was asked on what would be the parameters and basis of giving the reward.

Both personalities who are identified with the left-leaning organization in the country were identified as the one who ordered the killings of media personalities who had been classified as their enemies.

Bartolome said Sison and Rosal were reportedly tagged as the ‘brains’ behind in the murder of Masbate based radioman Noel Nadura sometime in 2003.

Aside from the reward money, Bartolome said they will be coming out with posters of the top 20 most wanted suspects in media killings within the week which is part of their information dissemination to make the people aware of the situation.

Bartolome said that DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno announced that they have also raised P3.2-million bounty for the suspects in the killings of militants. Faces of the suspects are likewise included in the posters that they will release to the public within the week. -Jomar Canlas, Reporter, Angelo Samonte And Sammy Martin, Manila Times