COTABATO CITY — A leader of what is touted as the last remaining armed gang in Maguindanao del Norte and a follower surrendered to the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on Monday, September 23.
Daudie Mamadra, of the notorious Mamadra armed group, and his close aide, Sabila Lumbos, agreed to turn themselves in to PRO-BAR’s director, Brig. Gen. Prexy Tanggawohn, through the joint intercession of Mayor Zulfikar Ali Panda of Sultan Mastura and their municipal police force and officials of the Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Police Force.
Mamadra’s group was tagged in a spate of deadly gun attacks in Sultan Mastura and nearby towns in Maguindanao del Norte in recent years and forcibly collected “protection money” on periodic basis from hapless villagers.
Mamadra promised to help PRO-BAR locate his other followers who have fled to far-flung areas in other towns when they learned that police intelligence units under PRO-BAR have launched an extensive operation meant to clamp them down.
Mamadra and Lumbos both pledged to reform for good after turning in their firearms to Tanggawohn during a simple rite at PRO-BAR's headquarters in Camp SK Pendatun in Parang town in Maguindanao del Norte, in the presence of Panda and Police Brig. Gen. Romaldo Bayting and other officials in the Bangsamoro regional police office.
The PRO-BAR and the Sultan Mastura LGU had provided them both with initial relief provisions they would need in their relocation to a safe area.