13 BIFF members yield, hand over firearms in Sultan Kudarat

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (Aug. 7, 2021) - Elements of the 40th Infantry Battalion received 13 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters who voluntarily surrendered to the government on the morning of August 6, 2021.

According to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., Commander of Western Mindanao Command, the surrendered BIFF personalities belong to the Karialan Faction, the group that had been involved in several atrocities against government troops and civilians.

Lt. Col. Edwin Alburo, Commander of the 40th Infantry Battalion, revealed that the surrender of the 13 is a result of the intensified intelligence operations and negotiations.

The 13 submitted themselves and handed over their firearms to Lt. Col. Alburo at the 40IB headquarters in Barangay Tual, President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat.

Turned over were the following firearms and ammunitions: one M1 Garand rifle with one clip and four rounds cartridge of cal. 30 ball, one rocket-propelled grenade with two rounds cartridge of RPG heat, one Eddys US rifle with two rounds cartridges of 7.62mm ball, three M14 rifles, onesub-machine gun, two M79 rifles with one round of 40mm high explosive each, one cal. 50 with seven rounds cartridge of cal. 50 ball, one rocket-propelled grenade, one steel magazine with six rounds cartridge of 7.62mm ball, one Thomson and one steel magazine with three rounds cartridge of  9mm ball, and one Thonram and one steel magazine with five rounds of 9mm ball.

Lt. Col. Alburo subsequently presented the surrendered personalities to Brig. Gen. Roy Galido, Commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade at the 601Bde headquarters in Barangay Kalandagan, Tacurong City, the same province.

Brig. Gen. Galido welcomed the former violent extremists and told them that they will be given reintegration packages after their custodial debriefing.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, Commander of Joint Task Force Central commended the troops for facilitating the successful surrender of the BIFF members.

“Your hard work has paid off,” said Maj. Gen. Uy.

Since January 2021, Joint Task Force Central has neutralized a total of 146 BIFF personalities, of whom 69 were killed, 74 surrendered, and three were apprehended.

“May these numbers of neutralized personalities inspire the remaining fighters to yield to the government forces,” said Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr.

The turned-over firearms are currently under the custody of the 40IB for documentation and safekeeping.(By JONG D. CADION with reorts and photos from WestMinCom-PIO)

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