Maguindanao private armed group disbanded
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has disbanded a known private armed group (PAG) in Maguindanao following the surrender of its leader and his six members in Datu Saudi Ampatuan municipality, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Major General Albert Ignatius D. Ferro said.
In a report to PNP chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, the official said Tamano Mamalapat, the leader of the Mamalapat Group, led his men in surrendering to officials of the CIDG Regional Field Unit in Bangsamoro Administrative Region and the local police last Tuesday at the Datu Saudi Ampatuan municipal hall.
Apart from Mamalapat, the others who yielded to the police were Butukan Dodi, Adan Mamalapat, Toto Bugado, Abidin Guimat, Fahad Asi and Bhots Tipay.
The seven likewise surrendered one M-16 automatic rifle, one M-79 grenade launcher, two caliber .30 Garand rifles, an improvised Barret sniper rifle and assorted live ammunition.
They yielded following talks with Ferro and Datu Saudi Ampatuan Mayor Edris Sindatok.
“Ikinagagalak po natin ang pagsuko ng grupo ni Mamalapat. Ito ay tagumpay di lamang ng nasabing grupo pati na ng ating pamahalaan sa kadahilanang ang pagsuko po nila ay malaking tulong sa ating kapulisan at sa ating komunidad upang mabawasan ang kriminalidad at sa pagkakaroon ng kaayusan at kapayapaan sa lugar,” the PNP-CIDG chief said.
Ferro said that on the same day, Ampatuan Mayor Bai Leah Sangki also surrendered two M-16 rifles, three Garand rifles, a home-made caliber .30 rifle, a home-made 12-gauge shotgun, one M-203 grenade launcher and a home-made cal. 9mm Uzi machine pistol.
The surrender of the weapons came in the wake of the ongoing effort by the PNP-CIDG to convince Mindanao residents including politicians to surrender loose firearms to the government and help put an end to gun-related violence in the region.
Eleazar has ordered a massive crackdown against all PAGs and illegal guns in the country as part of preparations to ensure a peaceful and orderly holding of the 2022 presidential and national elections.
