FORTY-SEVEN members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) operating in Soccsksargen region on Thursday surrendered to local police and military authorities, Police Regional Office 12 (PRO12) Director Brigadier General Jimili L. Macaraeg told the Journal Group.

In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., the official said that the 47 also surrendered a cache of high-powered weapons and ammunition, including three KG-9 machine pistols, three rocket-propelled grenades, one caliber .45 pistol, seven Uzi machine pistols, four 12-gauge shotguns, one cal. .38 pistol, one Garand rifle, three cal. 50 Barret sniper rifles, two M-14 rifles, two M-79 grenades, and seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr. welcomed the 47 BIFF members who returned to the folds of the law amid the ongoing effort of the Marcos government to put an end to local armed conflict.

Macaraeg said that the 47 used to be members of the BIFF under the Karialan and Abu Turaife factions.

The PRO12 director said that the 47 yielded to the government following talks with officers from the Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office, the PRO12 Regional Intelligence Division and Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB), the Regional Intelligence Unit 9, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Macaraeg lauded his men, led by Lt. Cols. Bryan Bernardino and George Bucayao, and Col. Christopher Bermudez for working “overtime” to pave the way for the surrender of the BIFF members.

“This will be crucial in our effort to help keep peace and order in the region and prevent lawless elements from undermining the government programs to help insurgents,” the official said.

The BIFF, also known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, has been described as an Islamist militant organization based in Central Mindanao. It broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and was founded by the late Ameril Umbra Kato.

Following Kato’s death, the group split into three factions, one of which aligned with ISIS or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Kato led a contingent of MILF fighters in attacking civilians in 2008 after breaking away from the MILF and eventually formed the BIFF in December 2010, claiming to have an initial 5,000 fighters.

In August 2011, the MILF recognized the break and declared the BIFF as a “Lost Command.”

The BIFF, along with the MILF was found involved in the January 2015 Mamasapano clash, which led to the killing of 44 PNP Special Action Force (SAF) commandos.

The group was believed to have suffered more than 100 casualties when military and police troops launched an all-out offensive against them in February 2015.

Members of the BIFF were later blamed for a number of bombings of security detachments in Maguindanao and, in May 2017, figured in the infamous Marawi City siege, which killed at least 978 militants, including 13 foreigners, 168 government troops and 87 civilians.

The five-month siege also left 1,400 soldiers and policemen wounded.