AFP: No bounty for escaped mutineer

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) does not favor proposals that a cash reward be put up for the capture of escaped Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, one of those who joined the foiled July 27, 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

Faeldon escaped from his lone guard after attending his court hearing on the coup d’état charges against him in Makati City on Dec. 14. He was detained at the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) office at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

"We have not talked about coming up with a bounty," AFP deputy chief of staff and spokesman Lt. Gen. Samuel Bagasin said.

Several congressmen earlier urged the military to offer a bounty for Faeldon to hasten the rogue captain’s recapture.

Bagasin admitted that, despite all-out efforts to arrest the Marine officer, the AFP still remains clueless about his whereabouts, saying the Marine captain’s movements have been difficult to track.

"(Faeldon has) been quiet," Bagasin said. "We haven’t gotten any leads, even in signal intelligence, even in human intelligence. We haven’t had any leads yet insofar as his whereabouts are concerned."

There were reports that Faeldon had been offered sanctuary by influential people, now described by the intelligence community as "unseen hands."

Bagasin also dismissed Faeldon’s latest statement, which the Marine officer posted on the Internet, calling for acts of civil disobedience to disrupt the Arroyo government.

Bagasin said other people could have posted the statement to inject politics into his escape.

"These are initial impressions," Bagasin said. "There might be some groups making use of (Faeldon’s) name... That is another scenario. He might have allowed (himself) also to be used by other groups."

However, Bagasin clarified that there were "no indications" that Faeldon was assisted in his escape or was being coddled by groups within the military, as some people had claimed. — Jaime Laude