Kalinaw News: 6 Abus yield to troops in Sulu

From Kalinaw News (Mar 18, 2023): 6 Abus yield to troops in Sulu

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – March 17, 2023

Six listed members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) surrendered to the military troops in Sulu on March 15, 2023.

Joint Task Force Sulu Commander, Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio said that the former violent extremists submitted themselves to Lt. Col. Edward Viteño, the Commanding Officer of the 32nd Infantry “Daredevil” Batallion, at the unit’s headquarters at Sitio Tuwak, Barangay Bonbon, Patikul, Sulu. The surrendered personalities handed over one M16 Elisco rifle with an empty magazine, one M1 Garand rifle, one M203 Grenade Launcher, one Carbine rifle with an empty magazine, and one M16 rifle with an empty magazine.

The former ASG members and their firearms were subsequently presented to Col. Taharudin Piang Ampatuan, the commander of the 1103rd Infantry Brigade. The presentation was held at the 1103rd Headquarters at Camp Bud Datu, Barangay Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu.

Col. Ampatuan briefed the former violent extremists on the available government programs they can avail. Likewise, the 32IB provided initial financial and food assistance to the surrendered personalities. The military is also preparing the documents of the former ASG members for their enrollment in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and project TUGON.

It can be recalled that two months ago, 51 ASG members from Patikul and Indanan areas, bringing the total of 57 surrenders of ASG in Sulu for this year alone.

The influx of ASG surrenders is attributed to the Brigade’s Balik-Barangay Program, a Joint AFP-LGU collaborative Platform under the Municipal Taskforce on Ending Local Armed Conflict (MTF-ELAC).

Western Mindanao Command Chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, lauded the troops of Joint Task Force Sulu for their steadfast resolve to end terrorism in the beautiful Island Province of Sulu.

“We want to work for peace without the use of arms and prevent bloodshed, and, in this light, we are encouraging the remaining Abu Sayyaf Group members to lay down their arms and join the government in working for peace and progress in Sulu,” Lt. Gen. Galido stated.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

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