Ex-ASG member ventures into buy-sell biz

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 13, 2021): Ex-ASG member ventures into buy-sell biz (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

ASG SURRENDERERS. Two of the five Abu Sayyaf Group members who surrendered to the Philippine Army in Sulu on Thursday (Nov. 11, 2021). Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, 11th Infantry Division commander, welcomed the former terrorists at the 1102nd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Indanan town. (Photo courtesy of 11IB-PAO)

A former member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has ventured into business as he strives to start a new life in mainstream society.

Bensar Majan (alias Bunso), 29, one of five ASG members who surrendered Thursday to the 1102nd Infantry Brigade at Camp Bud Datu, Barangay Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu, has started a rice business.

Romil Paraja, Yasher Jamalul, Jimrasil Isnaji, and Roger Kahan also surrendered to the Philippine Army.

“I am preoccupied with my livelihood,” Majan said in a statement Saturday.

Majan actually started the business three months ago after he was temporarily released from detention when his mother bailed him out.

He was arrested sometime in 2017 after his group disbanded following the death of their leaders.

“The police recognized me as a member of the ASG through the video they have,” he said.

Now that he is out on bail, Majan said he chose to surrender to show the authorities that he is determined to start a new life.

“My wife left me when I was in detention. But I see that there is still hope to live a new life when my mother bailed me out,” he said.

An ASG member for five years, Majan first joined the group of ASG leader Muammar Askali (alias Abu Rami).

He transferred to the Alhabsi Misaya faction after Askali was killed in a clash with government troops on April 11, 2017 in Bohol.

Misaya was also killed on April 28, 2017 in in Sulu.

Col. Giovani Franza, 1102nd Infantry Brigade commander, presented the five ASG surrenderers to Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, 11th Infantry Division commander.

“We are working out a comprehensive program for ASG surrenderers,” Gonzales said during the welcome ceremony for the five former terrorists.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1159658