By Hirohito Cadion/PNA
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — The number of the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-inspired Maute group surrenderers climbed to 29 as seven more yielded to military authorities in Lanao del Sur, officials said Friday.
Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, the Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, said the seven ISIS-inspired Maute group remnants surrendered around 2 p.m. Thursday in Lumbaca Unayan, Lanao del Sur.
Murillo said they turned over seven firearms, including high-powered rifles, when they surrendered to the Joint Task Force Ranao, specifically to the Army’s 55th Infantry Battalion headed by Lt. Col. Ian Noel Ignes.
Ignes said the surrendered firearms consisted of the following: two M-16 Armalite rifles; one M-14 rifle; one Uzi sub-machinegun; two caliber .45 pistols; and, one 9-mm pistol.
“The joint efforts of the LGUs (Local Government Units) and our troops in the ground made the successful surrender,” said Ignes, citing the seven surrenderers were undergoing custodial debriefing.
Murillo, who is also the Joint Task Force Zampelan (Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao Provinces) Commander, commended the efforts of the troops and local stakeholders.
“The continuous surrender of the Maute members entails the weakening of their organizational leadership and capabilities, and we encourage others to lay down their arms and live peacefully,” Murillo said.
“We will continuously work together with stakeholders in order to attract more ISIS-Maute to surrender,” he added.
The latest batch of surrenderers brought to 29 the total Maute members who have yielded to government authorities since October this year.
