2 Abus Surrender to 501st Brigade

PAGADIAN CITY Sept. 24, 2018) - Two members of the Abu Sayaff Group in Sulu province were presented around 9am, 21 September 2018, by Lieutenant Colonel Jesus C. Pagala, Commander of the 21st Infantry Battalion (21IB), to Colonel Peter Angelo L. Ramos, Commander of the 501st Infantry Brigade., military official said.

LTC Gerry M. Bersana, WesmMinCom spokesperson disclosed that the two ASG members were identified as AlbiAmirolAlih @ALBI and ObinUmod Mano @SAIP, both under the group of ASG sub-leader Idang Susukan, voluntarily surrendered on 20 September 2018 at the Headquarters of 21IB based at Bgy Danag, Patikul, Sulu.

Albi also surrendered one M1 Garand rifle while Saip surrendered one cal .45 pistol, he said.

Besana added that the surrenderors were brought to KHTBSH, BgyBusbus, Jolo, Sulu for medical examination and debriefing.

“This is another welcome development as more ASG (Abu Sayaff Group) members are finaly realizing that it is better for them to abandoned the illegal activities they are doing, para naman mabigyan pa silang pagkakataon makapagbagong-buhay,” Brigadier General Devino Rey Pabayo, JTF Sulu Commander, said after the report was sent to Western Mindanao Command early Saturday.

Besana also said that the 501st Infantry Brigade is a unit of the 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army based in Camp Bud Datu, BgyTagbak, Indanan, Sulu under the operational control of the Joint Task Force Sulu of the Western Mindanao Command. ( By JONG CADION)