Terrorists yield in Maguindanao

From the Manila Times (Oct 27, 2021): Terrorists yield in Maguindanao (By Franz R. Sumangil)

FIVE members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and two self-confessed gun-for-hires surrendered to the police on Monday.

BGen. Eden Ugale, director of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) in Muslim Mindanao, stated the men were presented before Vice Mayor Herodin Guiamano of Datu Salibo town in Maguindanao and the Maguindanao provincial police office.

The men also turned over firearms, including 40-millimeter (mm) grenade launchers and an anti-tank missile.

According to the police report, the five BIFF members were followers of Karui Karialan.

Karialan is a leader of one of the three factions of the BIFF and is wanted for more than 30 criminal cases pending in various courts, including an alleged involvement in deadly bombings in Central Mindanao since 2014.

Ugale said also instrumental in the surrender of the terrorists is the chairman of the association of barangay (village) captains in Datu Salibo, Abdulwaris Sailon.

One of the five BIFF members also turned over an improvised explosive device made of an 81-mm mortar that can be detonated remotely through a mobile phone.

More than 70 BIFF members surrendered to PRO-BAR via its municipal and provincial police officers in Maguindanao in the last 10 months.

The seven men who surrendered, including the two hitmen, received initial cash assistance and a bag of rice from the local officials. They will be assisted in integrating to mainstream society by the municipal social workers.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/10/27/news/regions/terrorists-yield-in-maguindanao/1819824