FIFTEEN members of local terrorist groups have surrendered through the collaborative efforts of different stakeholders in Central Mindanao, the military said Thursday, March 28.
Lieutenant General William Gonzales, commander of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said eight of the 15 surrenderers are Daulah Islamiyah-Turaifie Group (DI-TG) and the remaining seven, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters-Karialan Faction (BIFF-KF).
Gonzales said they surrendered and turned over high-powered firearms to the troops of the 6th Infantry Battalion in Maguindanao del Sur on Monday, March 25.
Gonzales said the DI-TG surrenderers are residents of Ganta village, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, while the BIFF-KF surrenderers are from Penditin, Datu Salibo and Madia, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, all of Maguindanao del Sur.
Gonzales attributed the successful surrender of the former violent extremists to the steadfast resolve of the 6IB and the intelligence units in the area.
He said the high-powered firearms they turned over include one 81-millimeter (mm) mortar, two caliber .50 Barret Sniper rifles, two M14 rifles, one M16 rifle, one M653 rifle, one Garand rifle, one caliber 7.62-mm Sniper rifle, one caliber .50 Sniper rifle, one caliber 5.56-mm Sniper rifle, one caliber .30 Sniper rifle, and one caliber .45 pistol.
The surrenderers were presented to Brigadier General Oriel Pangcog, 601st Infantry Brigade commander, Maguindanao del Sur Vice Governor Datu Nathaniel Midtimbang, and other military and local government officials at the headquarters of 6IB in Buayan village, Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur.
The surrenderers initially received assistance in kinds and in cash from the government.
Gonzales noted the surrender of the local terrorists is a result of the collaborative efforts of the military, the local government units, stakeholders, and the peace-loving citizens of Maguindanao del Sur.