CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Philippine Army said it has in custody 3 pro-ISIS militants who surrendered to village officials in the southern province of Lanao del Sur.
Capt. Clint Antipala, a spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division, said the trio surrendered on Thursday in Masiu town and were all taken into custody by Lt. Col. Edgar Villanueva, commander of the 49th Infantry Battalion. He said the militants, who were members of the Maute Group, also yielded an anti-tank rocket launcher and a .45-caliber pistol.
Antipala said villager leaders led by Alonto Gubar, Hamil Gubar and Maliksaif Masjida helped in the trio’s peaceful surrender. “The custodial debriefing of the trio is still on-going,” he said without identifying the militants, but other sources told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner that one of them is Moamar Mocsir.
Villanueva also said that one of the militants was involved in fierce clashes with troops in Pagayawan town in June this year. “They were recruited during the Marawi Siege last year, however, they were not able to insert in the main battle area due to the relentless security efforts and checkpoints around the lake. One of them was involved in Pagayawan clash last June,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, the division commander, welcomed the surrender of the militants and praised those who helped in convincing them to return to the fold of law. “We will continuously collaborate with different stakeholders and concerned citizens to encourage other Maute-ISIS remnants to surrender and go back to mainstream society,” he said.
The militant group, along with other pro-ISIS fighters occupied Marawi and battled security forces for 5 months until their leaders and key commanders had been killed, but the military assault – both air and land - destroyed the city and displaced all residents there. (Mindanao Examiner)
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