MALABANG, Lanao del Sur, August 7 (PIA) -- At least nine (9) fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) voluntarily surrendered to Lt. Col. Bagnus P. Gaerlan, Commander of the 5th Infantry Brigade (5Bde), 1ID, Philippine Army, at its headquarters, in Barangay Matling, this town, last Aug. 5.
This brings to 32, the total n umber of MILF fighters who surrendered to 51IB after the 23 others, last July 23 and July 25.
“We see this as already an output of the massive campaign of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in winning the hearts and minds of the people,” Gaerlan said.
For his part, Lt. Col. Ceasar Marlon M. Yadao, Commander of the 51st Infantry Battalion (51IB), said they have succeeded in showing the MILF fighters the role of the AFP in attaining just and lasting peace through the new IPSP campaign plan “BAYANIHAN,” which they have implemented in Lanao del Sur’s (LDS) second district.
Yadao said these fighters belonged to MILF’s 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade (Bde), 101st Base Command (BC), Northern Mindanao Front of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (NMF-BIAF), under Punder Balindong, a.k.a. as Abu Asraf operating in the towns of Pualas, Calanugas, part of Picong, all of LDS.
Some of them also belong to MILF’s 304th Bde, 116th BC, Central Mindanao FC, BIAF, under a certain Aleem Salic operating in the towns of Marogong, Kapatagan and Balabagan, of the same province.
Said MILF surrenderees are: 1) Moba Obinay Ginal, 2) Samin Casa Imam, 3) Eding Imam Cararik, 4) Pamie Masacal Datumanong, 5) Mahid Mapandi Dimatingcal, 6) Jalil Casman Datumanong, 7) Nashif Socor Gampong, 8) Ayonan Datumanong Macugar, 9) Fahad Datumanong Macugar.
The 51IB Commander said the fighters brought along with them their firearms which included the following:
One (1) cal. 30 M1 Garand rifle bearing serial number 1423257, two (2) M203 Grenade Launcher (GL) bearing serial number 13711 and defaced with one (1) 40MM ammunition.
Two (2) M79 GL (40MM) bearing serial number 580219, one (1) Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) with a defaced serial number with one (1) ammunition and two (2) cal .45 pistols bearing serial numbers 461177 and 125479, respectively.
Among the reasons why they surrendered were that they wanted to have a normal life and that they have nothing to gain from joining the MILF group because of the hardships that they experienced in the mountains.
They believed that only their high ranking Commanders are gaining from their organization and that they realized that taking arms against the government will only make their lives and their families miserable.
They also noticed that those who surrendered were given livelihood programs by the government that helped them to have better lives as normal citizens, the 51IB Commander said. (51IB CMO/PIA-10)
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