ILIGAN CITY – A 15-year-old member of the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group surrendered to the military on August 5.
The young combatant also yielded his 7.62mm M14 rifle to Lt. Col. Angestal Angeles II, commanding officer of the 51st Infantry Battalion (IB), at the unit’s headquarters in Barangay Dilausan, Madalum, Lanao del Sur.
The teenage surrenderer, known in his group as alias “Taimiya,” hails from Barangay Lininding, Piagapo, Lanao del Sur.
According to Major Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commander of Joint Task Force ZamPeLan, the surrender of the young rebel is a result of the collaborative efforts of the intelligence units in the area, the 51st IB, the 103rd Infantry Brigade under Brig. Gen. Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., and the local government units.
Taimiya revealed that he was recruited to the terror group in 2019 and participated in the series of encounters in Barangay Bawang, Madamba, Lanao del Sur, and Barangay Kalangnan, Piagapo, and Barangay Lindungan, Munai in Lanao del Norte in 2021.
Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido condemned the exploitation of minors as combatants fighting against the government forces for their false ideologies.
“Rest assured that we will continue to intensify our efforts to protect the youth and the communities from being lured to bear arms and risk their limbs for the vested interest of the terror group,” Galido said.