9 more Dawlah gunmen in Maguindanao surrender to 6th ID
Mindanao Armed Conflict • 06:15 AM Sun Oct 25, 2020
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By:
John M. Unson
The nine gunmen who surrendered Saturday are now in the custody of the 6th Infantry Division. (From 6th ID Public Affairs Office)
MAGUINDANAO --- Nine more members of the Dawlah Islamiya, one of them an expert in fabrication of home-made bombs, surrendered to the Army Saturday.
The nine gunmen yielded through the joint intercession of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion and local executives in towns located in the second district of Maguindanao.
Major Gen. Juvymax Uy of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division said Sunday the surrender of the nine Dawlah Islamiya gunmen, who turned in assorted firearms and improvised explosive devices, capped off Saturday’s celebration of the 33rd founding anniversary of 6th ID.
Rahib Nawal, Abdulrahim Mariano, Zed Nawal, Mamalinta Abdul, Kasim Abdul, Abdul Kanda, Jessie Abdul, Surab Abdullah, and Mentato Mesol renounced their membership with the Dawlah Islamiya in the presence of Uy and other high Army officials.
The surrender rite, held at Camp Gonzalo Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao was witnessed by Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, who is commander of the Philippine Army, and Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr. of the Western Mindanao Command based in Zamboanga City.
“They decided to return to their communities unarmed for the sake of their families and children. We shall do our best to transform them into peaceful and productive citizens,” Uy said.
Uy said the 6th ID, the Maguindanao provincial peace and order council, the local government ministry of the Bangsamoro government and its Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence shall together reintroduce the nine former Dawlah Islamiya members to mainstream society.
More than 200 members of the Dawlah Islamiya, also known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, have surrendered in batches to 6th ID since 2017.
Operating in the fashion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the Dawlah Islamiya, or BIFF, is tagged in all deadly bombings in central Mindanao in recent years.
The group has a reputation for attacking non-military targets, bombing public places and passenger vehicles to avenge deaths of members in clashes with pursuing Army or police units.