[ Memorandum Circular No. 201, August 23, 1968 ]
1. General. – This Circular prescribes the procedure in awarding cash rewards to an individual or group of persons who participate in the Government’s efforts to maintain peace and order by effecting the surrender, arrest, or otherwise furnished information leading to the arrest/apprehension/killing of a fugitive from justice the payment of reward for which is not otherwise covered by the existing reward systems of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of Finance.
2. Persons Covered by this Circular. – Any person or persons who capture or effect the surrender of a fugitive from justice or who voluntarily guide agents of the law towards the capture, surrender or killing of a fugitive from justice or who take port in the capture, surrender or killing of fugitive from justice, or who furnish information leading to, and which is the proximate cause of the capture/arrest, surrender or killing of a fugitive from justice or resulted in the confiscation of loose or illegally used/carried firearms anywhere in the Philippines, shall be entitled to the payment of cash reward: Provided, that such person or persons arc not officials or employees of the National, Provincial or Municipal Government or in any of its corporate entities. For purposes of this Circular, the following terns are defined:
a. Fugitive from justice – Refers to:
(1) Person(s) charged with crime(s) in court (s) who remain at large.
(2) Person(s) who jumped bail(s).
(3) Escapees from penal institutions and/or local jails.
(4) Escapees from correctional institutions.
(5) Person(s) caught actually committing crime (s) in flagrante delicto).
(6) Person(s) involved in any killing whose criminal responsibility is confirmed by any law-enforcement authority.
(7) Pirates and bandits as confirmed by intelligence reports.
b. Government Employee – any person receiving regular/normal compensation from the National, Provincial or Municipal Government or in any of its corporate entity and primarily charged with law enforcement functions.
3. Reward Committee. – There shall be created under the Office of the Peace and Order Coordinating Council an assessment and evaluation body to be known as the “Reward Committee” which shall have the sole function of fixing the amount of reward to be awarded, the person or persons entitled to it and the determination of facts entitling the claimant to the reward. The amountof reward in any one case shall be not lose than FIVE HUNDRED (P500.00) PESOS nor more than FIVE THOUSAND (P5,000.00) PESOS except in the case of information leading to the confiscation of loose/illegally used/carried firearms, the range the cash reward shall be from TWENTY PESOS (P20.00) to FIFTY PESOS (P50.00) in any one case. The Reward Committee shall be composed of the following:
| AC of S, J-2, GHQAFP |
– |
Chairman |
| Representative, POCC Secretariat |
– |
Member |
| Deputy Chief, CIS |
– |
Member |
| Deputy Director, NBI |
– |
Member |
| Chief of Police, QCPD |
– |
Member |
The findings and recommendations of the Committee shall be subject to the approval of the Chairman or any council member duly designated by the Peace and Order Coordinating Council, and once approved, shall constitute as final authority for the payment of the reward.
4. Guidelines in Processing Claims –
a. The claim shall be made in writing and under oath, to be deliberated upon and paid within one (1) month from receipt thereof by the Board. Approved claims which remain unpaid after the end of a fiscal year should be reported as outstanding obligation in that year.
b. In addition to such factors as may be considered proper by the Board in the determination of the amount of reward, the following shall be given. appropriate consideration:
(1) The notoriety and activities of the criminal killed, captured and surrendered;
(2) The gravity of offenses committed;
(3) The extent of p anticipation in the crime or crimes committed
(4) The extent by which public interest was damaged/prejudiced by the offenses committed; and
(5) The contributory effect of the participation/ information in the solution of the crime or crimes committed.
c. The full amount of the approved cash reward shall id to any person who captures or effects the surrender of a wanted criminal/policy character/ outlaw. If the claimant’s participation is in the form of information or acting as guide which led to the killing, surrender or arrest of the wanted person, he shall received fifty per centum (50%) of the amount approved.
d. The Board shall equitably apportion the reward among persons entitled thereto should there be more than one, taking into consideration the pertinent guidelines embodied in this Circular. In case there are two or more conflicting claimants, the_ Board shall make a thorough investigation of the claims to decide who is/are the rightful claimants and the proportionate amount of reward that should be paid to each of them.
e. No advance payment shall be authorized in each ease until final determination is made by the Board.1âшphi1
5. Funding. – The amount of One Million Five Hundred Thousand (P1,500,000.00) Pesos is hereby made available to the Peace and Order Coordinating Council for the payment of claims for reward under this Circular. However, the Peace and Order Coordinating Council shall, in turn, entrust said fund to the Philippine Constabulary which shall be responsible for the disbursement and accounting of the same.
6. Prohibition – No official or employee of the Peace and Order Coordinating Council or any member of their families-personnel concerned being aware of such fact- shall in one way or another profit, share or accept “tips”, gifts, of “blow outs” from any person or persons who have been, or are about to be paid cash rewards.
7. Records. – All record pertcii.ing to the payment or reward for the killing, capture or arrest of wanted criminals, police characters or outlaws shall be classified “CONFIDENTIAL” and securely kept by the Commission.
8. Effectivity. – This Circular shall take effect immediately.
