(Eagle News) — Two Maute rebels, including a 17-year old fighter, surrendered to soldiers of the 49th Infantry Battalion based in Butig, Lanao del Sur on Thursday, January 24, saying they were ready to face the consequences of their actions.
The Maute fighters who surrendered were identified only as a certain Hussein, 17, and Ashlani, 34.
Their surrender came amid the focused military operations launched by the Joint Task Force ZamPeLan (Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao provinces) in the adjacent municipality of Sultan Dumalandong.
“Masaya kami dahil tinatrato kami ng maayos ng ating kasundaluhan (We are happy because we are treated well by our soldiers),” said Ashlani.
“Ngayon na nagsurrender na kami, makakatulog na kami at ang pamilya namin nang maayos. Kung kailangan na panagutan namin ang ginawa namin, tatanggapin namin ang kapalaran namin (Now that we have surrendered, we and our family can finally sleep well. If we need to take responsibility for our previous actions, we will accept our fate), ” he added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command said that Hussein and Ashlani were recruited by the Maute brothers sometime in 2013 in Barangay Sandab, Butig.
Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Allan Villanueva, the commanding officer of the 49th Infantry Battalion, said that the two Maute fighters surrendered for fear that that they might be the next target of the military offensives.
“Takot kami na baka isunod nalang kami sa operation. Iniwan nalang kami ng mga leader pagkatapos nung encounter namin. Wala na rin kami matakbuhan kaya sumuko nalang kami (We became afraid that we might be next in the operation. We were left by our leaders after our encounter. We don’t know where to run to next so we decided to surrender,” said Ashlani.
He said that they were afraid at first to surrender to the military, but that those whom they talked to assured them that soldiers were good people.
The Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Post and the local community facilitated their surrender.
In a release from the AFP WesMinCom, Villanueva said the soldiers in the area have been trying to win the hearts of the people so the army would continue to gain ground in the fight to diminish remaining terrorist groups in the area.
“Out here, it is not just about fighting the enemy, but it is also about winning the hearts of the people,” he said.
Major General Roseller Murillo, the JTF ZamPeLan Commander, said that they have asked the “local populace for their trust, support, and prayers for our troops” who continued to operate in Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao provinces “to defeat the remaining Maute fighters that threaten the safety and well-being of Meranaos.”
“This will push us more to intensify our campaign against terrorists and prevent them from committing hostilities against fellow Meranaos,” said Lieutenant General Arnel Dela Vega, the commander of the Western Mindanao Command.
“We are motivated to continue with our offensives because we know that the people of Lanao del Sur are with us in the fight against terrorism.”