Mindanao Peace Process

SOUTH COTABATO --- Ethnic T’boli villagers got from the government solar power generating sets, among them women weaving T’nalak fabric at night after a daylong farm work.

Brig. Gen Roy Galido of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Brigade said Saturday 150 households in Barangay Ned in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato received the packages from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority during a symbolic rite early this week.

KORONADAL CITY --- More than 70 reforming former New People’s Army guerillas from across South Cotabato province are now being reintegrated into the local communities, officials said Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Roy Galido, commander of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, said Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo and the Department of the Interior and Local Government facilitated last Monday the grant of P5.7 million worth of livelihood assistance to the 73 NPAs who have returned to the fold of law.

The symbolic event was held in a government facility in Koronadal City.

MAGUINDANAO --- A ranking leader of local terror group, tagged in all deadly bombings in central Mindanao in the past six years, and five followers surrendered Saturday.

Abunawas Ibad and his henchmen renounced their membership with the group during a symbolic rite Saturday at the headquarters of the Army’s 1^st Mechanized Brigade in Barangay Kamasi in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

Abunawas is a self-styled division commander in the BIFF, which operates in the fashion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – The 1st Brigade Combat Team (1BCT) was welcomed and received by Major General Juvymax R Uy, Commander of JTF Central and 6ID last April 6, 2021, in a simple ceremony inside Camp Siongco, Awang, DOS, Maguindanao.

The brigade-sized troop augmentation arrived in Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) Joint Area of Operation (JAO) starting on March 23, 2021, to strengthen security forces’ presence in support of the current peacebuilding and development efforts in South-Central Mindanao.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A program geared to minimize, if not eradicate, loose firearms in Basilan province, will get going following the signing of the deal on Thursday.

The Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) was finalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among military, provincial, and municipal officials.

COTABATO CITY --- A brigade-size Army contingent from Luzon is arriving in central Mindanao to help the 6^th Infantry Division neutralize the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the region.

The BIFF, operating in the fashion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is tagged in all deadly bombings and other terror attacks in central Mindanao’s adjoining Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces since 2014.

COTABATO CITY --- Another armed group from Parang town surrendered to the police Friday, just 24 hours after ten from the same area turned in their firearms and pledged to reform for good.

Gulam Poloyagan, Lumayon Guiameron, Sanodin Tando, Haisam Maliwanag and Omar Ramalan Malinawag yielded to Police Major Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, during a simple rite on Friday morning at the office here of the CIDG-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

COTABATO CITY - The military is expecting the surrender soon of more members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters due to its continuing anti-terror operations in central Mindanao.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division, said Friday local government units in the adjoining Maguindanao and North Cotabato Cotabato provinces and units of 6^th ID have, in fact, intensified backdoor talks with BIFF members who have signified willingness to yield and pledge allegiance to the government.

KIDAPAWAN CITY --- Authorities have declared 13 interior barangays in North Cotabato province liberated from occupation by the New People’s Army through inter-agency humanitarian and security interventions.

Gov. Nancy Catamco said Thursday the feat was confirmed by officials from the Police Regional Office-12 and the Army’s 10^th Infantry Division during an online conference Wednesday.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – More Moro extremists have returned to the folds of the law bringing in high-powered firearms in Maguindanao.

Seven more Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have surrendered to the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion for them to live normal lives.

The combatants laid down their high powered firearms to the 2nd Mechanized Battalion in Barangay Midtimbang, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Maguindanao