PAGADIAN CITY
(March 29, 2018) - “The surrender of notorious Abu Sayyaf leader Nhurhassan
Jamiri and his entire group after successful negotiations and military
operations, will hopefully bring the eventual collapse of the ASG in Basilan,
restore peace and order in the province, and bring justice to the death of
thousands of soldiers, who sacrificed their lives to protect our people.” This
was the statement of Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana of the Department of
National Defense after receiving the news of Jamiri’s surrender from Lieutenant
General Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command, at
9:00 am yesterday, 28 March 2018.
Abu Sayyaf
Group (ASG) leader Nhurhassan Jamiri surrendered along with 13 of his followers
to soldiers of Joint Task Force Basilan, composed of the 3rdScout Ranger
Battalion, 8th and 9th Scout Ranger Companies, 104th Infantry Brigade; 74th
Infantry Battalion and 14LAC.
The group
also turned over 10 high-powered firearms, 40 assorted ammunition magazines,
651 pieces of live ammunition, a MK52 fragmentation grenade, and eight
bandoleers.
The
high-powered firearms consisted of seven M16 rifles, an M4 carbine, an M653
rifle, and an M14 rifle.
"From
the rendezvous area, all the troops along with the ASG surrenderers exfiltrated
towards the headquarters of the 9th Scout Ranger Company and the 104Bde in Tabiawan,
Isabela City," said Brigadier General Juvymax Uy, Joint Task Force Basilan
commander.
“The
surrenderees are currently undergoing custodial debriefing,” Brig. Gen. Uy
added. In his report to WestMinCom, Brig. Gen. Uy said that coordination with
the police is also being undertaken for the necessary legal procedures.
"This
surrender only proves that with the President’s strategic guidance, our
relentless offensives on the ground and our diplomatic approach are effective
in defeating the Abu Sayyaf bandits and in addressing the internal aggression
in ZamBaSulTa area," said LtGen. Galvez.
“Following Jamiri’s surrender, we expect the
other top leaders of the Abu Sayyaf to do the same in the upcoming days,” added
the WestMinCom chief.
The series of
surrenders is attributed to strategic leadership and sincerity of the Duterte
Administration to solve the problem in Mindanao coupled with the strong
cooperation between the LGU, AFP, PNP with the active participation of the
affected communities.
During his
visit to Patikul, Sulu, on March 26, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte emphasized
that he will give the Abu Sayyaf surrenderees the chance at a new life.
He also asked
them to help him make Mindanao peaceful during his term.
“I don’t abhor you (Abu Sayyaf members)
because I understand the situation.
As the
president, I want to help you, but first, help me bring peace for the Moros in
Mindanao.
I am the only
president that has a heart for the Muslims. All those who want to surrender are
welcome but those who want to fight, know that the government is ready,”
President Duterte said.
Just two days
after the President’s visit and pronouncement, an Abu Sayyaf member surrendered
in Tawi-tawi and another did the same in Sulu.
“The
surrender of Jamiri’s unit was a result of an inter-agency collaboration of our
security forces and strong support of local government units which facilitated
the negotiations,” Sec. Lorenzana said.
Sec.
Lorenzana, lauded in particular, the efforts of Usec. Reynaldo B. Mapagu,
Undersecretary of Defense for Civil, Veterans and Reserve Affairs, as well as
key security stakeholders of Basilan Province, including Gov. Jim Hataman, Vice
Mayor Cherilyn Akbar of Isabela City, and Ustadz Hud Limaya, deputy commander
of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Jamiri is the
overall ASG commander operating in Tuburan, Albarka, Tipo-tipo, Akbar, Mohamad
Adjul and Lamitan City.
He is also
the Operations Officer and Chief of the Urban Terrorist Group of Basilan. His
group gained notoriety for carrying out the 2002 Fort Pilar Bombing in
Zamboanga City, 2007 ambush of marine troops in Albarka, which left 24 dead
Marines, the death of 19 Special Forces students in Cambug, Albarka, and the
2001 Lamitan Siege.
The Jamiri
Group was also involved in hosting the Sulu-based ASG, which conducted
seajacking and kidnapping of Vietnamese vessels and sailors crossing the
Basilan Strait.
Its members also
perpetrated several IED attacks in the cities of Isabela, Lamitan, Zamboanga,
as well as kidnapping-for-ransom and extortion activities in Basilan province.
This
development brings the total number of ASG surrenderers to 216, of whom 100
were from Basilan, which has served as the operational base of the ASG since
1995.
“Our various
efforts at forging peace with various armed groups under the leadership of
President Duterte are now reaping success. We hope this will continue to gain
momentum in order to achieve peace without any bloodshed,” Secretary Lorenzana
added. (By JONG CADION with WesMinCom PR)
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