MILF surrenders 2 members in Basilan

'Former rebels behind deadly ambush in Ungkaya Pukan town'

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) handed over Thursday two of its members responsible for the killing of an army soldier and a policeman in an attack in the southern Philippine province of Basilan.

This was confirmed by Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the 101st Infantry Brigade in the island province, just several nautical miles south of Zamboanga. He identified the duo as Mudzni Sapau, 27; and Adzmin Manjapal, 20.

The pair ambushed a convoy of military and police escorting Vice Mayor Ahmadin Barahim, of Ungkaya Pukan town, on August 12 in Ulitan village. Barahim was unhurt from the attack, but seven others soldiers were wounded in the ambush.

Malik Caril and Sammad Ahaddin, members of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities; and Abdurahman Rajan, deputy commander of the MILF’s 114th Base Command in the province, handed over the ambushers.

The Western Mindanao Command did not release any statement despite attempts to get information from its spokesman Maj. Andrew Linao. The motive of the attack was not made public by the army, but the town is a major stronghold of the MILF and the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan, one of 6 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region. (Mindanao Examiner)