TWO rouge members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) involved in a recent ambush incident have surrendered in Basilan province, a top military official said Thursday, August 17, 2023.
Brigadier General Alvin Luzon, 101st Infantry Brigade commander, identified the two as Adzmin Manjapal, 20, and Mudzni Sapau, 27, both residents of Ulitan villge, Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan.
Manjapal and Sapau have surrendered to Luzon on Tuesday, at Camp Luis Biel, II that houses the 101st Infantry Brigade in Tabiawan village, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province.
Luzon said the two were involved in the ambush against the 64th Infantry Battalion (IB) troops with the Joint Peace and Security Team and Ungkaya Pukan Vice Mayor Ahmadin Barahim on August 12 in Ulitan village.
The ambushed resulted in the death of a soldier and a policeman.
The group of Barahim was conducting inspection in Ulitan village in preparation for the conduct of an outreach mission on Friday, August 18.
The surrender of Manjapal and Sapau was facilitated by Malik Caril, a member of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (MILF-CCCH), Hadji Sammad Ahaddin, support staff member of MILF-CCCH, and 114th Base Command Deputy Commander Abdurahman Rajan.
Luzon said the Joint Task Force (JTF)-Basilan maneuver troops from the 64IB and 5th Scout Ranger Battalion sustained the pressured against the 114rg Base Command of the MILF, particularly on the group of Huram Malangka in Ulitan village, hence the surrender.
Luzon expressed optimism in the prospects of the peace process following the voluntary surrender of Manjapal and Sapau.
“While the surrender of the two alleged MILF members as facilitated by members of MILF CCCH manifested that the peace mechanisms are indeed working, we will still pursue the investigation of the case for justice to take its due course,” Luzon said.
He said they have coordinated with Basilan Provincial Police Office for the filing of appropriate charges against the Manjapal and Sapau.
He said the two perpetrators were turned over to the police custody on Wednesday. (SunStar Zamboanga)
