According to the police attache at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, only civilian informants are eligible for the bounty offered by the US government.
"It is not the [Special Action Force]. As a general rule, wala pong government employee katulad ng SAF or Philippine National Police or the Philippine Army or any member of Armed Forces of the Philippines...is eligible to receive any bounty because it's part of their job to arrest a wanted person," Senior Superintendent Jose Gentiles said.
"Ang binibigyan po ng bounty are those who gave the information. It's an incentive para po ma speed up yung paglocate ng isang wanted person."
Gentiles said the identity of the informant will remain confidential.
No bounty will be given to an ineligible informant if the person turns out to be a government employee or official, he said.
A total of 44 elite police commandos from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force were killed in the January 25 operation to take out Marwan in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. The operation also claimed the lives of more than a dozen MILF rebels and civilians.
SAF troopers who killed Marwan severed his right index finger and took photos of his body because they couldn't carry it amid heavy fighting.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation later said the DNA sample provided by Philippine authorities belongs to Marwan.
"Although the results of the DNA examinations do not provide absolute identification, the results do support that the biological sample provided by Philippine authorities came from Marwan. Further testing and analysis will be conducted by laboratory examiners in an effort to fully identify the subject of DNA provided to the FBI," said David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A source familiar with the testing process said there is believed to be a sibling connection between the sample and DNA from bin Hir's brother, Rahmat bin Hir, who is in US custody.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. said the sacrifice of the 44 police commandos was not in vain as he expressed his condolences to their family members.
The ambassador said he is also pleased that the FBI quickly confirmed the DNA samples provided by the PNP were that of the Malaysian terror suspect.
"We are thankful to the FBI that they have come back very quickly to us confirming that the DNA results show the person who was killed by the 44 by the Special Forces Commandos was Marwan himself. That should dispel any doubts that people have that it was Marwan of course we lost 44 heroes unfortunately but I think we are, of course gratified to know that this very dangerous, very much sought after terrorist has finally been eliminated
Gentiles said he coordinated the DNA testing of Marwan's sample at an FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
"So yung result nung preliminary testing indicate na yung tissues na sinubmit na kay Marwan matches yung tissues ng kapatid niya na nanduduon sa Guantanamo Cuba nakakulong. It appears that based dun sa findings nila that they are siblings, that they come from the same father. So yun po yung result na nung DNA analysis," he said.
He said the results are preliminary only and that further testing and analysis will be conducted to fully identify the subject of the DNA provided by the PNP.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
