FOUR ranking leaders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have surrendered to military authorities in Maguindanao, officials said Friday, December 20.
Major General Diosdado Carreon, Joint Task Force Central commander, identified them as the following: Ibrahim Odin, BIFF’s 3rd Brigade commander, 2nd Division; Diya Musa, 1st Battalion Commander, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division; Daud Paglas, admin officer, 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division; and, Yasser Abunawas, operation officer, 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division. They belong to the BIFF’s Bungos faction.
Carreon said they surrendered around 8:40 a.m. Thursday to the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion in Indatuan Village, Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao.
Carreon said they turned over one Barret sniper rifle, one M-16 Armalite rifle, one rocket-propelled grenade, one improvised explosive device, and several rounds of ammunition.
“The military encourages even hardcore fighters to surrender to government troops for a chance to rebuild their lives as we are serious in extending peaceful mechanisms to those who contemplate to turn themselves in,” Carreon said.
“Peace entails inclusive and participative solutions that we deem it necessary to involve and convince rebels to return to the fold of the law. With our success, we think this is an effective resolution, and we mean to sustain this campaign,” said Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command chief. (SunStar Zamboanga)