4 ASG bandits surrender amid sustained Basilan offensives

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 18, 2022): 4 ASG bandits surrender amid sustained Basilan offensives (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

Google map of Basilan Island province

Four Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits have surrendered amid the continuing offensive against them in the province of Basilan, police and military officials said Monday.

In a statement, the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao (APC-WM) identified the ASG surrenderers as Muhammad Salihm, 23; Bong Majinti, 23; Ardin Moreno, 27; and Hadjibun Hambali, 27.

The four were followers of Basilan-based ASG leader Furuji Indama, who was killed in a clash with military forces in September 2020 in the coastal town of R.T Lim, Zamboanga Sibugay.

In a separate statement, Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of the Army-led Joint Task Force (JTF)-Basilan, said the bandits surrendered to the soldiers of the Army’s 18th Infantry Battalion (18IB) on Saturday in Barangay Campo Uno, Lamitan City, Basilan.

Gobway said the four ASG rebels surrendered because they wanted to "live a peaceful life together with their families. They also said they were encouraged to lay down their arms after learning that their former companions are undergoing the reintegration program."

He attributed the successful surrender of the four ASG members to the collaborative efforts of the 18IB and the police forces of Al-Barka, Tuburan and Tipo-Tipo municipalities.

Gobway said the surrender of the four brought the number of ASG surrenderers in Basilan to 22 since January this year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1179142