7 Abu Sayyaf surrender to troops in Basilan, Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Seven members of the Abu Sayyaf members surrendered in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, a development that a military official attributed to the declaration of martial law. 

 

Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, Western Mindanao Command spokesperson, said four alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf group surrendered to the troops of the Army's 18th Infantry Battalion at noon in Barangay Bihe Pahu, Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan.

 

Col. Juvymax Uy, Joint Task Force Basilan commander, identified those who surrendered as Usman Mussa, alias Akkus; Balie Kasaran; Sadar Tutuh Kasaran; and Sarwin Askalin Kasaran, alias Win. All four are from Al-Barka.

 

Uy said the four militants were followers of notorious Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Nurhassan Jamiri.

 

Col. Uy said that the suspected Abu Sayyaf said they had decided to surrender after they learned of the deaths of sub-leaders Muamar Askali and Alhabsy Misaya. Both were neutralized last month in separate operations in Bohol and in Sulu.

 

“But the martial law declaration made them more fearful for their safety as soldiers can already knock at their doorstep without the necessary warrants,” Petinglay said.

 

Meanwhile, another three Abu Sayyaf followers surrendered Tuesday to the Marines in Tawi-Tawi.

 

The three — Angki Haradja, Nickson Abdulmari Jalil, and Asil Sainuddin — are followers of slain sub-leader Aljine Mundok, alias Ninok Sappari, who has been tagged in a spate of cross-border kidnappings of sailors.

 

Brig. Gen. Custodio Parcon, Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi commander, said the three also yielded two high-powered firearms.

 

Parcon said the three were involved in clashes with the military at Barangay Tugas in May 2013 and at Barangay Buhanginan in Patikul in May 2014, when the 2nd Marine Brigade was still based in Sulu.

 

Parcon said Sainuddin was also responsible for the death of Datu Nixon Tarsum, brother of Patikul Vice Mayor Datu Adjuwanda Tarsum in 2015.

 

Westmincom chief Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. said that despite the fighting in Marawi City against the Islamic State-inspired Maute group, efforts to flush out the Abu Sayyaf elsewhere will continue.

 

According to Galvez, the surrenders brought to 64 the number of Abu Sayyaf members who have yielded since January this year.