Camp Siongco, Maguindanao – Four members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) had surrendered anew and laid down their firearms to 1st Mechanized Battalion under Lt. Col. Cresencio Sanchez Jr, on July 27, 2021.
The surrender came a day after their field commander and six other extremists surrendered to 1st Mechanized Brigade.
The new set of surrenderers brought with them one (1) Cal .50 machine gun, one (1) R4A3 Carbine with M203 grenade launcher, one (1) Cal .30 M1 Carbine, and a locally made 7.62mm Sniper Rifle.
The surrenderers were presented to Col. Pedro Balisi, Commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade and to Honorable Marop Ampatuan, Municipal Mayor of Shariff Aguak at the Headquarters of the 1st Mechanized Brigade in Brgy. Kamasi, Ampatuan, Maguindanao.
“The said former extremists were pressured by the relentless pursuit operation of the government security forces. Their breathing space is becoming tighter forcing them to abandon the terror group”, said Col. Balisi.
Major General Juvymax Uy, Commander of 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Central, lauded the tireless efforts of JTF Central forces in maintaining peace and stability in Central Mindanao.
“The series of surrenders are clear manifestation that the soft approach of the government through the AGILA-HAVEN program of the Province of Maguindanao and the hard approach through the sustained military operation is effective in dealing with the extremist groups”, MGen. Uy said.
