(Photo Caption: SURRENDER. Six Abu Sayyaf bandits surrendered Tuesday, August 24, to military authorities at the headquarters of the 1102nd Infantry Brigade in Tagbak village, Indanan, Sulu. A photo handout shows the six surrenderers (in white shirts) and the firearms they yielded to the government. (SunStar Zamboanga))
Six Abu Sayyaf bandits have surrendered to military authorities in the province of Sulu to reunite and live peaceful lives with their respective families.
Colonel Viovanni Franza, newly-installed 1102nd Infantry Brigade commander, identified the surrenderers as Abral Samsidari, Marjin Basal, Alnajer Kaisal, Basir Lahan, Munil Jumarain, and Padih Hamsari, who surrendered Tuesday, August 24, at his headquarters in Tagbak village, Indanan, Sulu.
They are followers of Radulan Sahiron, Alhabsi Misaya, Almujer Yada, and Majan Sahidjuan alias Apo Mike.
“Nararamdaman na talaga ng mga kababayan natin na gumaganda na kalidad ng buhay sa probinsya. Nakakatuwa na mayroon na naman tayong mga kapatid na naliwanagan at napiling magbalik loob sa ating gobyerno. Ngayong araw, isa-isa namin silang kinausap para talagang malaman paano ba sila napunta sa ganoong klaseng sitwasyon,” Franza added.
The surrender of the six Abu Sayyaf bandits was facilitated by the 35th Infantry Battalion headed by Lieutenant Colonel Wilfredo B Borgonia.
The Abu Sayyaf surrenderers yielded one bushmaster rifle, two Garand rifles, and one hand grenade fragmentation.
Meanwhile, Major General William Gonzales, 11th Infantry Division commander, highlighted that the progress made on the campaign for peace in Sulu is not attributed to the military alone.
Gonzales noted that all in all, 19 Abu Sayyaf bandits have surrendered to the government forces this August in Sulu.
“I am very grateful that the local chief executives are stepping up. We are all hand in hand in preparing these people to reintegrate to mainstream society,” Gonzales said.
(News & photo courtesy of SunStar Zamboanga)
