7 Maute-linked terrorists surrender in Lanao del Sur
Personnel of the Barira municipal police put up a photo gallery of key members of the Maute terror group along a highway near the border of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. John Unson
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Seven members of the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group surrendered to the military in Pagayawan town in Lanao del Sur on Tuesday as the terror group's numbers continue to dwindle.
The members of Dawla Islamiyah, which is affiliated with the Maute Group, turned over three M1 Garand rifles, an M1 Carbine, four cal.-45 pistols and a 9-mm. pistol when they surrendered to the 55th Infantry Battalion of Joint Task Force Ranao, Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, commander of the 1st Infantry Division and Task Force ZampeLan (Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao), said.
The names of the surrenderees have been witheld for their own security and they have been going through custodial debriefing, he said.
Murillo said troops on the ground have been helping bring IS-inspired terrorists to return to mainstream society after the group laid siege to Marawi City in 2017.
He said the number of Maute Group followers has been dwindling since its leaders were killed during the liberation of Marawi.
The military said the majority of Maute Group terrorists has been neutralized but a number managed to escape the fighting during the early stage of the operations, which ran from May to October of 2017.
Martial law in Mindanao, which was declared in May last year, has remained in place partly to help neutralize the rest of the Maute terrorists.
"We encourage others to lay down their arms to live peacefully," Murillo said.
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