COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ Five members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), including two bomb-making experts, surrendered to authorities in Maguindanao del Norte on Friday, February 13.
The former rebels formally renounced their ties with the BIFF during a ceremony held at the municipal hall of Sultan Kudarat town, attended by Mayor Shameem Mastura and police officials.
Authorities identified two of the surrenderers as Karim Mohdi Sangid and Omar Bansao Madsid, who were reportedly skilled in assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using ammonium nitrate and potassium chlorate. The explosives, police said, could be detonated remotely through mobile phones.
The five said they decided to surrender following negotiations facilitated by local officials, led by Mastura, Sultan Kudarat police chief Lieutenant Colonel Esmael Madin, and officers of the Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Police Office.
โWe will help the police and military convince our remaining companions to surrender so they can reunite with their families,โ one of the surrenderers, Mohammad Samron Tasil, told reporters after the ceremony.
Before taking their oath of allegiance to the government, the group turned over several high-powered weapons, including a rocket launcher with two B40 anti-tank rockets, a .50 caliber long-range bolt-action sniper rifle, and a 60-millimeter mortar.
Mastura, Madin, and Maguindanao del Norte police director Colonel George Bagundol Jr. received the firearms.
Police said the surrender is part of continuing efforts to dismantle remnants of the BIFF and its allied Dawlah Islamiya group in the province.
In the past 31 months, authorities recorded the surrender of 417 BIFF and Dawlah Islamiya members to units of the Police Regional OfficeโBangsamoro Autonomous Region. During the same period, 537 others yielded to battalions and brigades under the Armyโs 6th Infantry Division, according to police data.
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