Cash bounty for Honasan not a guarantee for his arrest-Gonzalez
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Sr. could not categorically say whether the P5 million cash bounty offered by the government for the arrest of former Senator Gregorio Honasan could lead to the latter's capture.
Gonzalez, who heads the task force which keeps track of Honasan's presence in the different parts of the country said the cash reward also complicates the matter. He said there are so many people relaying misleading information as to Honasan's presence.
The reports on Honasan's alleged presence in Iloilo recently were all raw informations and were never validated at all.
Earlier, Honasan was reportedly seen in an Iloilo town and later in Negros Occidental.
"There is a need for the creation of a monitoring team other than offering cash reward," Gonzalez stressed.
The P5 million cash bounty for Honasan's arrest was recommended by the Cabinet's security cluster. It is a small group that assesses issues regarding security threats and concerns of the government. Aside from Honasan, the group also placed cash reward for Honasan's six companions.
The government is still considering Honasan as "a very dangerous person" in the country. Honasan's arrest was in relation to the failed 2003 Oakwood mutiny which attempted to topple down President Arroyo's administration.