4 more Dawlah men surrender in Maguindanao del Sur

COTABATO CITY — Four more members of a local terrorist group in Maguindanao del Sur, all experts in fabrication of home-made bombs, surrendered on Saturday, August 31, and promised to thrive in peace once reintegrated into mainstream society.

The four members of the Dawlah Islamiya, which has a reputation for fomenting hatred for non-Muslims, first turned in an M14 rifle, an M16 rifle, a gauge 12 combat shotgun, a bolt-action Barrett sniper rifle and improvised explosive devices before they renounced their membership with the group in the presence of officials of the Army’s 92nd Infantry Battalion and local executives last Saturday in Barangay Salbu in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur.

Major Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Monday that the four terrorists agreed to return to the fold of law through the joint efforts of local government units in Maguindanao del Sur and officials of the 92nd IB led by Lt. Col. Christian Cabading.

As of Saturday, 728 members of the allies Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and 397 New People’s Army guerillas had surrendered in batches since 2017 to different units 6th ID in the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte , Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani.

The feat was achieved via a joint local peace and reconciliation program of 6th ID and local executives in Central Mindanao.