MANILA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has offered 20 million pesos (400,000 U.S. dollars) for information leading to the capture of three militant leaders who are being hunted by military troops in the southern Philippines, a military statement said on Monday.
Duterte has put a bounty of 10 million pesos (200,000 U.S. dollars) on Isnilon Hapilon, leader of Abu Sayyaf, a militant group in the Philippines founded with funds from al- Qaeda, which has also pledged loyalty to the IS.
Duterte has also put a bounty of 5 million pesos (100,000 U.S. dollars) each for the capture of the two Maute brothers - Abdullah and Omar.
General Eduardo Ano, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that Hapilon led the militants that attacked the southern Philippine Malawi City on May 23. The city of about 200,000 people is now raging with sporadic fightings between government troops and militants.
Ano expressed hope that the bounty will help in the capture of the three fugitive criminals.
"This reflects the resolve of the administration to get the terrorists dead or alive," Col. Edgard Arevalo, a spokesman for the military, said.
Fighting continued to rage in Malawi City in Lanao del Sur province, killing almost 200 people and displacing most of the city residents.
