ISABELA CITY, Basilan – At least two Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopters dropped some 14,000 leaflets on Thursday in six towns in Basilan Province, urging the local residents to help government troops recapture the 28 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels who escaped from the provincial jail here last week.

Lt. Col. Gamal Hayudini, commander of the Civil Relations Group (CRG) in Western Mindanao, said the two military choppers dropped the leaflets while soldiers patrolling in this city were tasked to post the pictures of the escapees in strategic areas.

Hayudini led soldiers in the distribution of leaflets, both written in English and local dialect, in this city.

The leaflets contained the names of those who bolted prison and their corresponding rewards ranging from P100,000 to P2 million and phone numbers where they can call and provide information to authorities about the escaped prisoners’ whereabouts.

The CRG chief said this is part of their campaign to track down terrorists who escaped from jail.

Earlier, the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) had offered as much as P2 million reward to anyone who can provide information about the escapees, who were among 31 that escaped from the provincial jail on December 13.

One of the prisoners, an ASG member, was killed after he resisted arrest in the village of Maligue, Hayudini reported.

Most of the ASG terrorists and Moro rebels who escaped are facing a string of murder and kidnapping charges in Basilan, he added.

Government troops clashed with the ASG in Basilan on Wednesday leaving three of them and a soldier dead, said Brig. Gen. Eugene Clemen, commander of military forces in the province.

“The operation against the terrorists is continuing. The hunt for the jail breakers and their rescuers are on going too,” he said.

On Tuesday, authorities rewarded P350,000 to a civilian who helped the military security forces track down two prisoners in this city.

Naval District Chief for Western Mindanao Alexander Pama and Lt. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, commander of Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom), handed the reward to the informant.

Basilan jail warden Julmaril Sali said 17 of those who escaped from prison were ASG members and five are members of the MILF – two of them commanders – while the rest were hardened criminals.

The prisoners escaped after more than 100 suspected MILF and ASG gunmen stormed the provincial jail in the village of Sumagdang, this city.