Police dismantles another private armed group in Tawi-Tawi

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 22, 2023): Police dismantles another private armed group in Tawi-Tawi (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

DISMANTLED. The police dismantled another private armed group, known as the Ahaja group, following the surrender of its members in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on Tuesday (March 21, 2023). The members of the group took an oath of allegiance to the government administered by Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, in a ceremony at the headquarters of the Provincial Mobile Force Company in Bongao. (Photo courtesy of APC-WM)

BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi – The Philippine National Police (PNP) dismantled another Private Armed Group (PAG) after its members surrendered to authorities in Tawi-Tawi.

The surrender of the Ahaja group's seven members on Tuesday was part of the government's campaign against private armies and loose firearms, according to Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao.

Verceles said the members of the Ahaja group are armed with various firearms and served as the security escort of incumbent Sitangkai Mayor Tiblan Ahaja and Vice Mayor Serbin Ahaja.

The group consisting of Adurahman Ladja, Mabbul Amil, Said Asmad, Muktar Hussin, Aljiber Ibrahim, Mannan Talikan, and Assi Tawasil, surrendered around 3:05 p.m. in Bongao.

Verceles said they took their oath of allegiance at the Provincial Mobile Force Company headquarters in Barangay Poblacion, Bongao.

They handed over an M-16 A1 rifle with four magazines of ammunition and .45 caliber pistol with ammunition.

After debriefing, the group was released to the custody of Sitangkai Councilor Allan Ahaja and will be continuously monitored by the police in Tawi-Tawi.

Verceles said the Ahaja group is the second private armed group dismantled in Tawi-Tawi this week.

The first was the Alsaggab Mohammad Ali group based in Barangay Baldatal, Sapa-Sapa, which was dismantled after its members surrendered to authorities on Monday. The group served as armed guards during Ali's incumbency in 2007.

Sapa-Sapa Councilor Ampusuhum Lipae, the son of Ali, facilitated the surrender of the group.

Sitangkai and Sapa-Sapa are municipalities in Tawi-Tawi with populations of 37,319 and 33,580, respectively, according to the 2020 census. Tawi-Tawi is the southernmost province of the Philippines, located near Malaysia and Indonesia.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1197936