ILIGAN CITY – Seven Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters-Karialan Faction (BIFF-KF) members, three of them officers, surrendered to the authorities on Wednesday, March 15.
Joint Task Force Central Commander Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera said the surrender of the former violent extremists was facilitated by the 6th Infantry Battalion led by Lt. Col. Michael Glenn Manansala.
Manansala identified the BIFF personalities as a.k.a. Diaw, the Deputy for Internal Affairs; a.k.a. Ebs, the Deputy Brigade Commander; a.k.a. Arif, the Operations Officer; and four other members.
The seven submitted themselves and handed over their firearms to the military at the 6IB headquarters at Sitio Landing Fish, Buayan, Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur.
Surrendered firearms include one rocket-propelled grenade launcher, two cal. 50 Sniper rifles, one M653 5.56mm rifle, one Springfield cal. 30mm rifle, and two cal. 30mm Garand rifle.
The BIFF men were subsequently presented to Brig. Gen. Oriel Pangcog, Commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade and Datu Piang Mayor Victor Samama.
The presentation was witnessed by Atty. Josefina Torreña, Legal Officer of Maguindanao del Sur; Mr. Roger Dionisio, Focal Person of AGILA HAVEN; Datu Saudi Ampatuan Vice Mayor Edris Sindatok; Datu Salibo Councilor Demson Silongan; Barangay Chairman Jun Silongan of Penditen, Datu Salibo; Police Maj. Roldan Kuntong of Datu Salibo PNP; and Police Maj. Michael Ameril of Datu Piang PNP.
On March 8, four members of the BIFF-Karialan Faction also surrendered to the members of the 7th Infantry Battalion in Bagumbayan Sultan Kudarat.
Western Mindanao Command Chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido attributed the influx of surrenders to the collaborative efforts of the military, police, local government units, other government and non-government agencies, and other sectors of society.
“We continue to reap the fruits of our unified efforts to end terrorism through the employment of the whole-of-nation approach. Let us continue to work hand-in-hand to end terrorism and insurgency here in Mindanao,” said Galido.