The government has scored another victory in the fight against criminality with the arrest of members of the Sagada-Kalinga group, one of the most notorious holdup gangs operating in the provinces of the Cordillera Autonomous Region, Benguet, Pangasinan and La Union.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. today presented to media 12 members of the Sagada-Kalinga group, including two provincial police officers.

Cordillera Police Regional Office Director George Aliņo and Police Regional Police Office I Director Arturo Lomibao were also present during the presentation.

Presented were suspects John Malidom, Jr., Heralde Bag-ay, Romeo Binoloc, Alex Uvido, Jonathan Fokan, Nelson Bag-ay, Peter Bocalen, Gilbert Balunsat, Edmundo Boswal, David Pucalan, Aslo Ambonoc and Junel Balutoc.

In short remarks, the President told the PNP officials that the Filipino people are grateful "for your hard work."

But she pointed out that there were more criminal syndicates still out to victimize communities. "We await more arrest in the days to come," she said.

She lauded Ebdane and the men and women of the PNP for their success in going after and eliminating criminal gangs and syndicates.

She personally congratulated the members of the Cordillera Police Regional Office (CPRO), the PRO I, PACER, Benguet Provincial Police Office, and the Binalonan, Pugo and Tuba police stations.

"I encourage them, and I hope the people will also encourage them, to keep doing the good job that they are doing," she added.

The President ordered Ebdane to publish the picture of another Sagada-Kalinga group leader.

She also said disclosed the full implementation of a reward system for the capture of criminal gang and syndicate members.

She said the government gave a reward of P5 million to the informant who pointed to Abu Sabaya, the spokesman of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf.

The other day, she also gave an P853,144.99 reward to the informant who effected the multimillion-peso shabu bust in Varsity Hills, Quezon City.

A report from the PNP Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) unit said the Sagada-Kalinga group had been involved in a series of robbery-holdups of restaurants, passenger buses and even pawnshops in the Benguet-La Union areas.

The group was also tagged in at least five bank robberies in Pangasinan and La Union.

Records showed that PACER elements tracked and arrested the gang members following the robbery of Salting Restaurant along Marcos Highway in Barangay Baloy Sur, Tuba, Benguet last July 30.