Abu supporters yield to military

Three Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) supporters surrendered to government troops in Basilan on Wednesday, the military disclosed yesterday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) identified the three who surrendered as Hasid Aslimto Abdurasul, alias Taba; Usaimin Talih Kabong, alias Ninnik; and Gerry Langkat Laikan, alias Ger.

The AFP-WestMinCom, said the three ASG supporters turned themselves in to troops of the Army’s 18th Infantry Battalion in Basilan at 8 a.m., amid the intensified operations launched against the local terrorist group.

The three during their surrender also handed over two M1 Garand rifles and a Thompson sub-machine gun.

The surrenderors and their firearms were then presented to Joint Task

Force Basilan Commander, Brigadier General Fernando Reyeg, at the 18th IB headquarters in Ungkaya Pukan.

As this developed, 25 loose firearms were also handed over by the local chief executives of Albarka and Ungkaya Pukan to 18th IB Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ivan San Jose and were subsequently presented to Brig. General Reyeg on the same event.

“We are greatly happy with the unwavering support of the local chief executives in all our peace efforts,” Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, the Commander of the WestMinCom, said.

“In our desire to achieve sustainable peace, we continuously convince the remaining Abu Sayyaf militants and other lawless elements to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law,” he added.