Kalinaw News: 6 BIFF members surrender, drug personalities neutralized in Central Mindanao

Posted to the Kalinaw News Website (Jul 8, 2021): 6 BIFF members surrender, drug personalities neutralized in Central Mindanao

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – Six members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters laid down their arms and yielded to the military in Cotabato on July 7, 2021.

According to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., Commander of Western Mindanao Command, subject personalities handed over one M16 rifle, two M14 rifles, and three rocket-propelled grenades with three ammunition to Brig. Gen. Roberto Capulong, Commander of 602nd Infantry Brigade and Lt. Col. Rommel Mundala, Commander of 90th Infantry Battalion.

Said personalities were subsequently presented to Pagalungan Mayor Salik Mamasabulod. “These six are members of the BIFF-Karialan Faction,” said Lt. Col. Mundala. During the initial debriefing, the six were identified in the following aliases: Alex, Kaliya, Bernie, Nasser, Abdul Adies, and Datu.

Custodial debriefing is currently being conducted to gather more information such as their real names and their reason for surrender. “The surrender of the six is a result of the joint efforts of the 602Bde, 90IB, Pagalungan Municipal Police Station, and the AFP and PNP intelligence units,” said Brig. Gen. Capulong.

Meanwhile, troops of the 34th and 90th Infantry Battalions under the 602nd Infantry Brigade, together with the personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12 conducted law enforcement operations to serve search and arrest warrants against Ronnie Mangansakan and his cohorts for violation of Section 11 of RA 9165.

While operating troops were approaching the target’s house in Barangay Macasendeg Pikit, Cotabato at about 6 a.m. July 8, 2021, Mangansakan and his cohorts opened fire which prompted the government forces to retaliate. Firefight ensued which lasted for 30 minutes and resulted in the deaths of two personalities identified as Ronnie Mangansakan and Banji Mangansakan. The operation also resulted in the arrest of Gotires Antipolo and Nissan Aliudin Mangansakan.

“Drugs have been an identified culprit that enhances the confidence of its users to commit different kinds of crimes. As long as drug traffickers are active, the drug supply will always be available- and the negativities it brings about will never end. We all know how dangerous illegal drugs are to our society. With the neutralization and capture of these drug operators in today’s LESO, we are not only eliminating the drug supply in our area but also eliminating the security risks that the drug users might commit,” said Brig. Gen. Capulong.

While searching the area, troops recovered one M14 rifle with magazine, five live ammunitions of 7.62 caliber, three fired cartridges of 7.62 caliber, four fired cartridges of 5.56 caliber, one M16 rifle with magazine, one M203 grenade launcher, one caliber 7.62 Barret, and one transparent plastic container with nine large, ten medium, and five small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu with a total of more or less 200 grams and DDB value of PhP1, 360,000.00.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, Commander of Joint Task Force Central lauded the effort of the units involved in the operation.
According to him, illegal drugs are among the primary concerns in the area of central Mindanao. With the consistent and productive effort of the units under his jurisdiction, notorious drug operators are being neutralized and arrested in line with the peace and security goals of Kampilan.

Seized and confiscated items were turned over to PDEA-12, the cadavers to the barangay officials of Macasendeg, and the arrested personalities to Pikit Municipal Police Station for proper disposition. Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. commended the troops of the Joint Task Force Central for the job well done.

“We relentlessly support our partners in the conduct of law enforcement operations particularly in the war against illegal drugs in support of the government’s campaign,” said Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. “I enjoin all the troops to remain steadfast in fulfilling our mandate for our fellow Filipinos and our country,” he added.

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https://www.kalinawnews.com/6-biff-members-surrender-drug-personalities-neutralized-in-central-mindanao/