A BOMB-MAKING expert from the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorist group surrendered to authorities in Maguindanao del Norte on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, the military reported.
Brigadier General Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (1BCT), did not identify the 35-year-old DI member for security reasons.
Cagara said the DI surrenderer yielded a 9-millimeter Uzi submachine gun and a 60-mm improvised explosive device.
The DI bomb-making expert surrendered voluntarily due to extreme fear from the military's intensified offensive in Maguindanao del Norte, according to Cagara.
He added that hardship and lack of food while hiding in the mountains also led to the surrender.
Major General Donald Gumiran, commander of the 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central, praised the surrender.
“The surrender of an experienced bomb expert is a significant victory in our campaign against terrorism. Instead of sowing violence, he chose to pursue the path of peace,” Gumiran said. (SunStar Zamboanga)