BIFF commander, 10 others surrender in Maguindanao

ARMED GROUP The military has been pursuing members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, one of the armed groups allied with the Islamic State, to preserve the gains of the peace process in the Bangsamoro region. —JEOFFREY MAITEM

DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines — A field commander of the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and 10 of his followers surrendered to the military on Saturday so they can begin to lead peaceful lives, officials said.

Lt. Col. Samuel Nadala Jr., commander of the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, identified the BIFF leader only as “Commander OB10,” who belongs to a faction led by Commander Bungos.

Apart from turning themselves in, Nadala said the gunmen also brought with them their weapons when they surrendered in Barangay Kamasi, Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.

The surrendered firearms included two 5.56-millimeter M-16 rifles, one 7.62-mm M-14 rifle, one Springfield rifle, two Garand rifles, two locally made rocket propelled grenade launchers and two locally made Barret sniper rifles.

Harmonious cooperation

They were then presented to Col. Pedro Balisi Jr., commander of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade; and local officials led by Datu Piang Mayor Victor Samama, and former Datu Anggal Midtimbang Mayor Nathaniel Midtimbang.Lt. Col. Charlie Banaag, commander of the 6th Infantry Battalion, attributed the recent surrenders to the “strong synergy and harmonious cooperation” of the Army units with the Philippine National Police commands in the Bangsamoro region and Maguindanao province.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of Joint Task Force Central and the 6th Infantry Division, commended the efforts of both the government security forces and the local government units (LGUs) in Maguindanao.

“The synergy between the security forces and the local government units manifests that we have an advantage in fighting against local terrorists in this part of the region. We can successfully thwart the enemies and stop them from committing dangerous acts through the cooperation of everybody,” Uy said.

Since January this year, more than 100 BIFF gunmen have surrendered to authorities amid intensified pursuit operations launched by police and military units in Maguindanao.

Many of them have also been lured by offers of socioeconomic and other forms of assistance from the Maguindanao provincial government as well as the Bangsamoro regional government.