4 private armed group members yield in Maguindanao Norte

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 11, 2023): 4 private armed group members yield in Maguindanao Norte (By Edwin Fernandez)

SURRENDER. Four members of a private armed group (PAG) operating in Maguindanao del Norte province pose with Lt. Col. Guillermo Mabute Jr., the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion commander, after their surrender on Sunday (Sept. 10, 2023). The PAG members also led soldiers to a site in Barangay Rempes, South Upi town, where they buried more of their firearms. (Photo courtesy of 6ID)

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao Norte – Four members of a private armed group (PAG) operating in this province surrendered to the military Sunday afternoon to support the government’s campaign against loose firearms.

Lt. Col. Guillermo Mabute, Jr., commander of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion, said the PAG leader, identified only as “Bong,” surrendered at Camp Edwards in Barangay Mirab, North Upi town.

“Bong turned in his M14 rifle during his surrender,” Mabute said in his report to this camp, the headquarters of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), on Monday.

Hours after Bong’s surrender, his three followers also yielded in Barangay Rempes in the adjacent town of South Upi.

They handed over a .30-caliber light machine gun, a Garand rifle, and an Uzi-type machine pistol.

Bong and his group also led soldiers to an area in Barangay Rempes where they buried more of their firearms.

Maguindanao Sur firearms surrender

On Saturday, the military also received nine assorted firearms from local officials during surrender rites in Paglat town, Maguindanao del Sur.

Brig. Gen. Andre Santos, the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade commander, and Paglat Mayor Raisa Langkuno witnessed the turnover of the firearms to Lt. Col. Jayson Domingo, the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion commander, at the municipal hall.

The surrendered firearms included two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, a Barrett sniper rifle, an M79 grenade launcher, two 9mm Uzi machine pistols, two 40mm rifle grenade launchers, one 9mm KG9 pistol, and ammunition.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1209607