Duterte offers bounty for extremists in foiled island attack

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine president has offered a bounty for the capture of Muslim extremists behind a foiled attack on a central resort island.

President Rodrigo Duterte also said he ordered the navy to bomb militants who travel by boat from their southern jungle camps in search of kidnapping victims.

Duterte told reporters during a visit to central Bohol province Wednesday that he was considering to arm civilians there so they can help the government fight terrorists and drug suspects, adding he prefers outlaws dead than alive so he won't have to feed them in jail.

Duterte visited Bohol a week after troops battled the Abu Sayyaf in fighting that left four militants, three soldiers, a policeman and two villagers dead. Troops are hunting several extremists who escaped.