ZAMBOANGA CITY – Three Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members surrendered to soldiers in Tawi-Tawi as a result of the program offered by the Regional Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict (RTF-ELAC) in Muslim dominated areas in Mindanao.
Armed Force of the Philippines- Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) Commander Lt Gen Corleto Vinluan, Jr. said one of the present mandates of RTF-ELAC was to see to it that the developmental information of the program reaches the grassroots to counter false ideologies of communists-terrorist groups and violent extremists.
Vinluan identified the three ASG members as a certain Alsadi Hanain, alias Al; Bennaser Pae, also known as Binas, 27, from Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi; and a certain Ugali Alimudin, 33, from Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi
Hanain was reportedly a member of a kidnap-for-ransom group (KFRG), who also handed over his M1 Garand rifle to the intelligence operatives of the Second Marine Brigade in Barangay Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi at 7 a.m., Friday, December 4.
Hanain was said to be operating under the late ASG sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, and was involved in a series of encounters against the military troops in Basilan and in Patikul area in Sulu province.
Hanain also allegedly participated in different kidnapping activities, most notable of which was the abduction of Rolando de Torchio, an Italian national, on October 7, 2014; Ewold Horn, a Dutch national, on February 1, 2012; Yahong Chen from Isabela Basilan, on May 22, 2014; and Canadian nationals Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, Norwegian national Kjartan Sikkengstad, and Filipina Marites Flor, on September 21, 2015.
Pae handed over his M16A1 rifle, one short magazine, and 33 live ammunitions of 5356mm to the Marine Battalion Landing Team-12.
Pae was recruited by the Sulu-based ASG-KFRG under ASGSL Guro Harife sometime in March 2012.
He is a brother of ASG-KFRG member Roni Jumlaili Pae, alias Otoh Eron and Roni, who surrendered to MBLT-12 last November 7, 2020
Col. Arturo Rojas, Commander of the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi said due to the intensified operations conducted by the government troops in the province of Sulu, Bennaser and Roni decided to leave the ASG-KFRG sometime in October 2016 and returned to Tawi-Tawi,
Alimudin, 33, married, and a resident of Sitio Sikawla, Barangay Baldatal Islam, Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi also yielded to the government forces on December 2, 2020.
Onboard a ‘jungkong’, Alimudin was accompanied by two former ASG/KFRG members, who previously surrendered to the 2nd Marine Brigade, when he turned himself in to the 36th Marine Company at the unit headquarters in Barangay Poblacion, Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi.
Alimudin handed over his M14 rifle and one magazine loaded with two 7.62mm live ammunition.
“His companions were identified as Birong Sariol, a.k.a. Boy Master and Lahid Irin. Sariol is also a resident of Sitio Sikawla, Barangay Baldatal Islam, Sapa-Sapa and a former ASG/KFRG member who surrendered to the 2MBde last April 2017, while Lahid Irin is a resident of Barangay Timmudas, Pata, Sulu and also an ASG member who surrendered to government forces in Sulu on January 2020,” Rojas stated.
“The series of surrenders demonstrates success in our efforts to end terrorism and lawlessness. We hope that more terror group members will decide to surrender and join us in achieving peace without killing each other,” Vinluan said.