4 more BIFF members yield in Maguindanao

 Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – (August 19, 2021) - Four more members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters yielded to the soldiers of the Joint Task Force Central Wednesday morning, August 18.

According to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., Commander of Western Mindanao Command said the surrendered personalities known in the following aliases: Ustadz, Kano, Magdusa, and Abu Zubair submitted themselves to the 92nd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Tuayan Mother, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

Lt. Col. Nathaniel Balintong, Battalion Commander of 92IB said the surrendered personalities, who are members of the Karialan Faction, handed over two M1 Garand rifles, one M16A1 rifle, and one Ultimax light machine gun.

The four were subsequently presented to Brig. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, Commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, and the local chief executives of Shariff Aguak and Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, all of Maguindanao.

Brig. Gen. Patrimonio said the military is doubling its efforts to encourage more militants to lay down their arms and return to mainstream society.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, Commander of JTF Central commended the concerted efforts of the military, local governments units, and the communities that led to the surge in the number of capitulations of BIFF personalities.

It can be recalled that on August 7, 13 members of the same group yielded in Sultan Kudarat while 11 others laid down their arms in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao on August 13

“The series of surrenders only proves that the security landscape in central Mindanao is indeed changing,” said Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr.

Since January 2021, a total of 170 BIFF personalities were neutralized, of whom 69 were killed, 98 surrendered, and three were apprehended.

“Rest assured that all those who returned peacefully to the fold of the law will be completely mainstreamed to their respective communities,” Lt. Gen. Vinluan further stated.

Surrendered personalities are currently undergoing custodial debriefing conducted by the 1BCT while their firearms were deposited at the 92IB headquarters for safekeeping. (By JONG D. CADION with reports and photos from WestMinCom - P IO)                           Click link below to read related article…..  https://frontlinemindanaobalita.blogspot.com/2021/08/4-more-biff-members-yield-in-maguindanao.html