COTABATO CITY — Seven more members of the Dawlah Islamiya surrendered to local executives and senior Army officials in Midsayap, North Cotabato on Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Donald D. Gumiran, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), said on Wednesday that the seven terrorists yielded through the efforts of Mayors Rolly C. Sacdalan of Midsayap and Anwar K. Saluwag of Nabalawag and senior officials of the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion (IB) and the 602nd Infantry Brigade.
The now moribund Dawlah Islamiya and its ally, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), are both tagged in all deadly bombings in Central Mindanao in recent years. Both groups also have a reputation for attacking buses and business establishments if owners refuse to shell out protection money.
The seven terrorists first turned in two M14 assault rifles, an M1 Garand rifle, M79 grenade launchers, and improvised explosive devices to the 34th IB before they pledged allegiance to the government during a surrender rite on Tuesday at the social hall of the Midsayap local government unit.
More than 400 members of the Dawlah Islamiya and the BIFF had surrendered in batches to units of 6th ID in different towns in Central Mindanao since December 2023, many of them reintroduced to the local communities, now thriving as farmers. — John Felix M. Unson
