1 week ago
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CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao del Norte — A 35-year-old bombmaker of the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorist group on Thursday surrendered to the Philippine Army's 1st Brigade Combat Team (1BCT), bringing weapons and explosives with him.
The former extremist, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, yielded one Uzi 9mm submachine gun and a 60mm improvised explosive device during his surrender at the 1BCT headquarters in Sultan Kudarat.
In a radio interview with reporters Friday, Brig. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, 1BCT commander, cited the military's sustained operations and the surrenderer's desire for peace as key factors in his decision.
"This shows our peace program works," said Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, Army 6th Infantry Division commander, while urging the remaining DI members to surrender.
The military also credited local officials for facilitating the peaceful turnover.
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Ex-rebel leads troops to hidden NPA armory
In another development, Army troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, M1 Garand rifle, and anti-personnel mine in San Fernando, Bukidnon, on Wednesday, guided by intelligence from a former New People's Army (NPA) rebel, the 89th Infantry Battalion (89IB) reported Friday.
The weapons cache, hidden in Barangay Nacabuklad, was disclosed by a former member of the dismantled NPA Guerrilla Front Malaya who surrendered in 2019.
"These explosives could have endangered civilians," said Lt. Col. Antonio Bulao, 89IB commander. "This success shows how community cooperation enhances security."
The ex-rebel had safeguarded the arms after leaving the communist group before turning them over through local contacts.
The recovery operation targeted areas previously controlled by the NPA's North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
