FOR BETTER LIFE. Maguindanao del Sur Rep. Mohammad Tong Paglas (3rd right) hands over a check to one of six surrendering Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters during ceremonies at the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion headquarters in Tacurong City on Sunday (Jan. 15, 2023). The surrenderers said they grew tired of running away from pursuing government forces. (Photo courtesy of 6ID)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – Six Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFFs) surrendered to authorities after intense operations against them in Maguindanao del Sur, an official said Monday.
Lt. Col. Jayson Domingo, commander of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion, said the BIFF batch was presented during rites 9n Sunday at the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (1MBde) headquarters at Camp Leono in Tacurong City.
Brig. Gen. Pedro Balisi, 1MBde commander, Maguindanao provincial administrator Cyrus Torreña and Rep. Mohammad Tong Paglas welcomed the surrenderers.
“The surrenderers claimed they were tired of running away from pursuing military forces,” Domingo said in a statement.
The group also turned over a 60mm mortar launch pad, an M16 rifle, a .30-caliber Garand rifle, a Carbine rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade and an improvised explosive device.
“We envy our former companions who surrendered earlier, as they are now living peacefully with their families; we want to be at home, too,” a certain Omar, one of the surrenderers, was quoted as saying in the dialect.
Initially, the surrenderers were each given financial assistance, a bag of rice, and other provisions by the provincial government.
Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, lauded the decision of the six BIFFs and urged their comrades to follow suit.
Galido said the surrenderers were victims of "wrong ideology."
The six BIFFs are the first batch of Moro extremists who availed of the government’s peace offer in Central Mindanao this year.
Last year, more than 100 local extremists allied with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria surrendered to the military here. (PNA)
