11 BIFF members surrender, pledge to help convince others

Eleven more members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) pledged allegiance to the government on Wednesday morning and promised to help units of the Army's 6th Infantry Division convince their remaining companions to return to the fold of law.

Major Gen. Donald M. Gumiran, commander of the 6th ID, said the 11 BIFF members renounced their membership with the group during a symbolic rite at the headquarters of the 90th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Kabengi in Datu Saudi Ampatuan.

The surrenderers turned over their combat weapons and home-made explosives to military authorities.

Local executives from six municipalities, officials of the 90th IB, the 6th Civil Military Operations Battalion, and the 601st Infantry Brigade jointly interceded for the surrender of the group.

Mr. Gumiran said that municipal police stations in the six towns and units of the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office also played a crucial role in the surrender.

The Labor department in region 12 and the office of Bangsamoro Labor and Employment Minister Muslimin G. Sema have joint capacity-building interventions to ensure productivity for erstwhile BIFF members while being reintegrated into mainstream society.