ZAMBOANGA CITY — A member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), whose sons had earlier yielded, has surrendered to military authorities in the province of Sulu, military officials announced Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) information officer, identified the surrenderer as Abdulbaki Boyohan, 53, a follower of ASG leader Idang Susukan.
Besana said Boyohan surrendered to Lt. Col. Ronaldo Mateo, commander of the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion (IB), in Camp Bud Datu, Barangay Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu at about 9 a.m. Tuesday.
He said Boyohan is the father of former ASG members Ban Baki Rajili and Padi Kali, who surrendered to the 32nd IB troops last December 22.
Boyohan also turned over an M-79 grenade launcher and ammunition.
He was later presented to Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, deputy commander of the Army’s 501st Infantry Brigade in Camp Bud Datu.
The surrendered ASG member, according to Besana, cited his desire to reunite with his family and the hardships of constantly running from the military as his reasons for deciding to return to the fold of the law.
“We hope to see more returnees reunite with their families and start their new lives away from battlegrounds. Indeed, this is a resonating call for the rest of the Abu Sayyaf bandits to lay down their arms and to consider the lives that were affected,” Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, Westmincom chief, said.
“May the story of Boyohan and his sons encourage other Abu Sayyaf members to end decades of terror in the province of Sulu,” dela Vega added.
