TWO Abu Sayyaf bandits involved in the July 31, 2018 bombing of a security checkpoint in Basilan province, have surrendered to government authorities, the military said Saturday, February 22.
Ten people, including a soldier and five militiamen, were killed while seven others were wounded during the July 31, 2018 powerful bomb explosion at a military detachment in the village of Magkawit, Lamitan City, Basilan.
Five of the seven wounded were soldiers while the remaining two victims were militiamen.
Brigadier General Fernando Reyeg, Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade commander, identified the two Abu Sayyaf surrenderers as Suwaib Mungkay alias Abu Black and Nakib Asmad alias Abu Halifa.
Reyeg said the two surrendered around 11 a.m. Thursday in the municipality of Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan province.
Reyeg said the troops of the Army’s Special Forces Battalion and Hadji Mohammad Ajul Mayor Ibrahim Ballajo facilitated the surrender of the two Abu Sayyaf bandits.
He said the two turned over two Carbine rifles and one caliber .45 pistol with ammunitions when they surrendered.
He said that Mungkay and Asmad were involved in the July 31, 2018 bombing of a military detachment in Lamitan City, Basilan.
He said the two have undergone custodial debriefing after which they were turned over to local government of Hadji Mohammad Ajul for their inclusion in the government programs for the rebel returnees.
“As I always say, peace is a shared responsibility,” Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief said citing he is am happy to know that “our partners and stakeholders are always there to support us in our peace campaigns.”
“Through our convergence, we are able to sustain the momentum and attain positive results in our journey towards peace and sustainable development here in the region,” Sobejana added.
The July 31, 2018 bombing occurred around 5:50 a.m. when a white van loaded with explosives was asked to stop at the Magkawit detachment manned by joint Army and militia forces.
The van, which was traveling to the city proper of Lamitan, was obliterated by the powerful explosion. (SunStar Zamboanga)