16 Abu Sayyaf bandits surrender

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Sixteen members of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group have surrendered to the military in Sulu, security officials said on Saturday.

The bandits were followers of seven Abu Sayyaf subleaders tagged in kidnapping activities and neutralized in previous military offensives.

The surenderees were presented to Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, chief of the Joint Task Force Sulu and the Army’s 11th Infantry Division, during a ceremony in Barangay Samak, Talipao.

Gonzales said the bandits were followers of Abu Sayyaf subleaders Hairula Asbang, Idang Susukan, Majan Sahijuan, Raden Abu, Ben Wagas, Alden Bagadi and Mujib Susukan, who were tagged in the kidnapping of foreigners at the borders of the Philippines and Malaysia.

The last to be killed among them was Sahijuan during the rescue of the four remaining Indonesian captives on an island off Tawi-Tawi in March.

The bandits turned over several firearms, ammunition and improvised explosive devices.