A MEMBER of the Maute group and a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel have surrendered to the military, officials announced Thursday, November 15.
The surrenderers were identified as a certain Budo, an alleged member of the Maute group, and a certain Jhon-Jhon, an alleged NPA squad leader.
The surrender of Budo brought to 22 the total number of Maute members who have surrendered since October to the Joint Task Force Ranao in Lanao del Sur.
Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Allan Villanueva, the Army’s 49th Infantry Battalion commander, said Budo surrendered to his battalion on Wednesday, November 14, in Butig, Lanao del Sur.
Villanueva said Budo participated in the attack of the Pantar detachment in June 2017 in an apparent attempt to divert attention from the Maute fighters engaged in battle with government forces in Marawi City.
The Marawi conflict erupted on May 23, 2017, when the Maute group went berserk after the military raided the hideout of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, who at the time had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis).
Hapilon and the Maute leaders, Abdullah and Omar, were killed separately in October of the same year.
Jhon-Jhon, meanwhile, surrendered Wednesday in Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur, according to Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Severo, the Army’s 10th Infantry Battalion commander.
Severo said Jhon-Jhon is the team leader of Baking, Squad One, Section Committee (SECOM) Joji of the NPA’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee.
Colonel Bagnus Gaerlan, commander of the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade, said they will enroll Jhon-Jhon in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip), which provides financial and livelihood assistance and other benefits to rebels who return to the folds of the law.
As of Thursday, 22 Maute group members have surrendered: seven on October 9 in Pagahyawan to the 55th Infantry Battalion; a sniper surrendered on October 10 to the 49th Infantry Battalion in Butig; two on October 16 also to the 55th Infantry Battalion in Lumbaca-Unayan; three on October 18 to the 49th Infantry Battalion in Masiu; six on October 22 to the 49th Infantry Batallion in Sultan Dumalondong; one to the 49th Infantry Battalion on October 29 in Butig; and one on November 13 also to the 49th Infantry Battalion in Butig. (SunStar Philippines)