Militants, rebels urged to yield, live peacefully

A Philippine Army photo released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner shows Abdullah Lumzed Arumpac, alias Afghan, with Colonel Jose Maria Cuerpo II during the ISIS sub-leader’s surrender recently in Marawi CITY

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Philippine Army urged PRO-ISIS militants and rebels to return to the fold of the law and live peacefully with their family.

The call was made after a Filipino ISIS sub-leader involved in bloody battle with security forces in the southern Philippines surrendered recently to the military in the battle-scarred city of Marawi in the Muslim province of Lanao del Sur.

Officials said Abdullah Lumzed Arumpac, alias Afghan, also yielded an automatic rifle when he surrendered to the 103rd Infantry Brigade.

Brigade commander, Colonel Jose Maria Cuerpo II, said Arumpac was among those who laid siege on Marawi in 2017 and battled troops alongside other PRO-ISIS groups, including the Abu Sayyaf, for 5 months until he escaped the massive military assault that killed most of the terror leaders, among them the Maute Brothers.

“Afghan was involved in numerous terroristic activities in Lanao del Sur province that include encounters against military troops at Barangay Sandab, Butig sometime on 2015 and in Barangay Ragayan, Poona Bayabao town in Lanao del Sur in 2017 where he suffered gunshot wound in his lower right abdomen while three of his members died during the encounter. He was also involved in the planning of the devastating Marawi Siege which claimed thousands of lives and destroyed millions worth of properties,” Cuerpo said.

He said Arumpac sought the help of Mayor Allan Lao of Lumbatan town to arrange his peaceful surrender. Cuerpo also quoted Arumpac as saying: “I realized that the best option for me is to return to the folds of the law and sought the help of the local government of Lumbatan led by Mayor Allan Lao.”

Cuerpo praised the surrender and urged other militants to return to the fold of the law. “I am grateful that he chose to return to the fold of the law and to help in the peace and development of the area. I am hoping that this surrender would encourage other terrorist members to follow. The government is always ready to help former rebels to return to their normal lives,” he said.

Major Jeorge Jallona, Civil-military Officer of the 1st Infantry Division based in Zamboanga del Sur province, said the terrorist leader is tired of fighting and wanted to live peacefully with his family.

“Afghan is tired of fighting and he wanted to live peacefully with his family. Now, the provincial government has this reintegration program for rebel returnees so Afghan can fully return to normalcy,” he told the Mindanao Examiner regional newspaper.

Security forces had killed at least a dozen foreign militants - some of them were from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia - along with over 600 local ISIS fighters in Marawi during the siege, but over 150 soldiers also died in the battle when militants occupied the city and declared it a province of the Islamic State. The war, which began in May ended in October.