23 ASG bandits surrender in Sulu

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 6, 2023): 23 ASG bandits surrender in Sulu (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

ASG SURRENDERS. At least 23 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits surrender to government authorities in Indanan, Sulu, on Saturday (March 4, 2023). They turned over 10 high-powered firearms consisting of two M16 and eight Garand rifles. (Photo courtesy of Area Police Command-Western Mindanao)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – At least 23 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members have surrendered to government authorities in Sulu province over the weekend, a top police official said Monday.

Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said the 23 ASG militants turned themselves in Saturday afternoon in Barangay Pasil, Indanan, Sulu.

Verceles said the surrenderer came following an intensified campaign by the Indanan Municipal Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict (MTF-ELAC) headed by Mayor Hermot Jikiri.

The MTF-ELAC is Sulu’s local version of the national government’s Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC).

The surrenderers include Abdulla Mandangan, Ahajar Hadjiei, Arbijar Asarajan, Bermar Hadjiri Ahamad, Jul Habibudin Hajari, Junhar Arabani, Kasiri Emlani, Rasid Absulla, Jaser Maddusirun, Aduri Sahibbul, Abtar Asari Agga;

Mordison Aduri; Taming Uping Umail; Abdurahman Asad; Rasil Samlaun; Cesar Ladjahali; Ajid Rajid; Makar Sumlaani; Mersan Hassan; Yaser Amirul; Aljimer Salahuddin; Salahuddin Salbi; and Marajan "Majang Asiri.

The surrendered firearms comprised two M16 rifles and eight M1 Garand rifles.

Verceles said the ASG surrenderers will undergo counseling and were placed under the custody of the Army's 100th Infantry Battalion before their reintegration into mainstream society.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1196703