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Manila Bulletin devider devider 8 BIFF fighters surrender

8 BIFF fighters surrender

Published Feb 3, 2019 04:46 pm
By Ali Macabalang COTABATO CITY – Eight com­batants of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have yielded to authorities amid intensified military operations in Maguindanao, an Army official said Sunday. Major Arvin Encinas, spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID), said the BIFF fighters led by Gani Sali­gan were to be presented to the media at a press conference at the 6ID headquar­ters in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao Sunday afternoon. File photo of four sub-commanders shown surrendering formally to Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudfadatu in early last year’s batch of 24 BIFF returnees in rites graced by Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, Western Mindanao Commander head (6th Infantry Division / via Ali Macabalang / MANILA BULLETIN / FILE PHOTO) File photo of four sub-commanders shown surrendering formally to Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudfadatu in early last year’s batch of 24 BIFF returnees in rites graced by Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, Western Mindanao Commander head (6th Infantry Division / via Ali Macabalang / MANILA BULLETIN / FILE PHOTO) Brig. Gen. Diosdado Carreon, com­mander of the 601st Infantry Brigade (603IB), would present Saligan’s group to 6ID Head Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana and other military officials alongside Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Manguda­datu and local civilian authorities, it was learned. Saligan is a sub-commander of Ustaz Karialan, the figurehead of one of the BIFF factions. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leadership consider Karialan as a “moderate” rebel leader “inclined” to join the folds of the law once the Bang­samoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is put in place. News about the surrender of Sali­gan’s group came a day after Air Force planes dropped bombs on Sitio Tatak, Barangay Tugal, Sultan-sa-Barongis town where fighters of the ISIS-inspired Abu Toraife’s BIFF faction were report­edly holding out in 20 bunkers. Encinas said the airstrikes helped ground troops cleared Tatak of Toraife’s men led by sub-commander Salahuddin Hassan. Mangudadatu and Sobejana wel­comed the surrender of Saligan’s group, even as the governor renewed his com­mitment that children rebels rejoining the government will be “given” priority for coverage under the provincial govern­ment’s scholarship program called Magu­indanao Education Assistance for Com­munity Empowerment (MagPEACE.)
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