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ASG member surrenders in Tawi-Tawi

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.

October 23, 2020, 9:40 am

<p><strong>SURRENDER.</strong> A member of the Abu Sayyaf Group identified as Berhamin Kalinggalan (2nd from left) turns over a Garand rifle to Mayor Jimuel Que of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (2nd from right), when he surrendered Thursday (Oct. 22, 2020) to the 2nd Marine Brigade. Kalinggalan was involved in the attempted abduction of Dr. Percival Showers, an American-Nigerian and guest professor of the Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi in 2001. <em>(Photo courtesy of the 2nd Marine Brigade)</em></p>

SURRENDER. A member of the Abu Sayyaf Group identified as Berhamin Kalinggalan (2nd from left) turns over a Garand rifle to Mayor Jimuel Que of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (2nd from right), when he surrendered Thursday (Oct. 22, 2020) to the 2nd Marine Brigade. Kalinggalan was involved in the attempted abduction of Dr. Percival Showers, an American-Nigerian and guest professor of the Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi in 2001. (Photo courtesy of the 2nd Marine Brigade)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has surrendered due to pressures created by the joint military and police offensives against them in the province of Tawi-Tawi, officials announced Friday.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), identified the ASG member as Berhamin Kalinggalan alias Abu Young Driver.

Vinluan said Kalinggalan surrendered and turned over a Garand rifle to the 2nd Marine Brigade around 9 a.m. Thursday at Marine Barracks Domingo Deluana in Barangay Sanga- Sanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Vinluan said Kalinggalan was involved in the attempted abduction of Dr. Percival Showers, an American-Nigerian guest professor of the Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi in 2001.

He said Kalinggalan was also involved in the clash between the Marine Battalion Landing Team-9 troopers and ASG and kidnap-for-ransom-group led by the late sub-leader Sakkam Pakam, alias Last Pangit, in Sitio Siola, Barangay Montay-Montay, Bongao, sometime in December 2017.

He said Kalinggalan underwent a medical check-up by the Forward Support Medical Team-21, after which, he was turned over to the local government unit and was received by Bongao Mayor Jimuel Que.

“The successful operation is attributed to the convergence of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Tawi-Tawi, the Provincial Police Office, the intelligence operatives, the Ministry of Interior and Local Government, and the peace-loving people of Tawi-Tawi,” Rojas said. (PNA)

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