P100-K bounty for arrest of Ilocos mayor’s killer

By Freddie G. Lazaro

LAOAG CITY -- The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Ilocos Norte Chapter raised a P100,000 reward for anyone who could provide pertinent information that will lead to the identification and arrest of the gunman in the brutal  killing of Marcos town Mayor Arsenio Agustin on June 3, 2017.

Agustin, 61 and Rusmar Valencia, 35, a backhoe operator were shot dead by a still unidentified suspect at an irrigation dam project site in Sitio Cabua-an, Barangay Mabuti, Marcos town.

Two other individuals, laborers Camilo Vasquez, 60, and Nolan Valencia, 18, were wounded in the attack.

Dingras Mayor Ergio Valenzuela LMP – Ilocos Norte Chapter president, said that the reward money was raised by the national and local LMP leadership.

Earlier, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos condemned the attack and ordered the law enforcement authorities to probe and arrest those behind the killing of Agustin, one of her close political allies.

“We condemn this heinous act.  We will spare no effort to find and punish the killers, said Marcos.

“I extend my prayers and sympathy to his family and friends, who have, over his time as mayor, become close to us,” added Marcos.

Meanwhile, Chief Insp. Dexter Corpuz, spokesperson of the Ilocos Norte police office, said a thorough probe on the incident is ongoing.

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Fil values council lauds $5 million reward claimer

By Mar T. Supnad

TARLAC CITY -- The Council for the Restoration of the Filipino Values (CRFV), a civil society partner of the Civil Service Commission, cited Thursday  a US national who is claiming the $5 million reward  for not being greedy when he publicly announced that he is willing to share the huge reward to the families of the SAF policemen who were killed during a firefight in Mamasapano, Maguindanao with rebels.  

Antonio Aquino, CRFV director for Special projects and Media affairs and nephew of the late senator Ninoy Aquino, said that American national  Marcus Allen Frishman, should be supported for his generosity after announcing that he is intending to share the reward, if he gets it, with the families of the slain SAF policemen and to certain Raymund Liwag, Ram Castillo and Commander Boy Hashim.

Frishman claims he had been regularly travelling from California to the Philippines since 2005 and that between that period he was able to provide lead and information about the whereabouts of Zulfikli Bin Abdul, alias Marwan, an international terrorist who carried a $5 million reward on his head.

Earlier, Aquino  said that it is just right and appropriate to compensate the families left behind by the SAF policemen who sacrificed their lives and limbs just to neutralize the dreaded terrorist. 

The huge reward was offered by the US government.  

Aquino said however although the reward is intended to a tipster who gave information on the whereabouts of Marwan, he said for humanitarian reason those left behind by the SAF policemen “ should also be given additional compensation since the reward money is so huge and no amount of monetarial benefits  can  return the lost lives of SAF policemen who sacrificed their lives just to neutralize the terrorist."

Aquino said there is nothing wrong if the government will help  arrange this reward to Frishman and to the families of the slain SAF policemen which he described as fair and right move, saying his group is even willing to assist the American reward claimer.

Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Sonny Coloma earlier said that the government cannot interfere and influence the US government in rewarding the tipster.

The US embassy had earlier stated that the reward will be given only to a civilian tipster.              

But Aquino said the killing of Marwan who is high value target by the US could not be neutralized by civilian tipster alone if not with the help of the SAF who sacrificed their lives during the law enforcement operations.

Composed of highly-respected individuals with competent leadership, the CRFV under its national director Voltaire Acosta, has been pushing for a graft-free Philippines, believing this will push the country towards progress and economic development.

The group vowed to help in stopping in the Philippines by restoring Filipino values and transparency, and run after crooks and corrupt whether they are government or private officials.

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