Eleven Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) men, including their leader,
surrendered to government troops as the Army intensified its operations against the group
in Maimbung town, Sulu, in the past three days, reports reaching the Armed Forces
headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Makati City, said yesterday.
Lt. Gen. Voltaire Gazmin, Philippine
Army chief, said that five other Abu Sayyaf members were captured by Task Group Alpha of
the 25th Special Forces Company in a raid on a house in Ipil, Maimbung.
Arrested were Mustali Asanji, Salip
Atari Abdulal, Bassirul Jalilul, Ben Jamsuri and Eko Asman.
Maj. Gen. Narciso Abaya, Joint Task
Force Trident chief, said that pursuing military men seized from the ASG members an
Armalite and four Garand rifles.
In a follow-up operations at barangay
Batad also in Maimbung, Abu Sayyaf leader Kenhar Ammil and his 10 followers surrendered to
the Advance Command Post of the 26th Special Forces Company under a certain Lt. Parina.
Ammil, according to the military, was
a close aide to top Abu Sayyaf leader Galib Andang alias "Commander Robot."
The other surrenderees were identified
as Utoh Sakilan Ali, Mumar Abduwa, Munji Alibarsa, Puntuingan Kasim, Namin Jamsuri,
Almuddzin Ammil, Manong Isnain, Jajid Samhaji, Baddirih Tadu and Manah Hasim.
They also turned over to the Army an
M-16 rifle, an M-14, and eight Garand rifles.
Abaya said the surrenderees are now
interrogated at the headquarters of Task Force Trident in Sulu. (Aris R. Ilagan)
