COTABATO CITY — Eleven more members of the Dawlah Islamiya surrendered to the Philippine Army over the weekend and promised to help convince other armed fighters of the Islamic State-linked group to abandon violent extremism in Mindanao.
Major Gen. Alex S. Rillera, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said Sunday that the 11 were convinced to surrender by local officials and peace advocates in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat through Brig. Gen. Andre B. Santos of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade and Lt. Col. Carlyleo P. Nagac of the 5th Special Forces Battalion.
The group first turned in their assault rifles, fragmentation grenades and components for improvised explosive devices before pledging allegiance to the government in simple rites held at Camp Leono in Tacurong City.
The Dawlah Islamiya is one of the extremist groups tagged by the military for extortion and deadly bombings in central Mindanao since 2014. — John Felix M. Unson
