ZAMBOANGA. Fifteen members of a local terrorist group have voluntarily surrendered along with their weapons to the 90th Infantry Battalion (90IB) in Maguindanao del Sur, the military said Saturday, June 20, 2026.
Lieutenant Colonel Loqui Marco, 90IB commander, said the 15 local terrorists surrendered Friday, June 19, in Kabengi village, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur.
Marco formally presented the surrenderers to Brigadier General Edgar Catu, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, as part of the government's ongoing campaign for peace and development in the region.
The surrenderers turned over war equipment that include various high-end weapons and explosives such as rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, Uzi submachine guns, and improvised explosive devices.
The surrender of the 15 members of the local terrorist group was facilitated through the Balik-Loob Program, which is being supported by six Local Government Units and Municipal Police Stations in the Area of Operations of the 90IB, in partnership with the Maguindanao del Sur provincial government, Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Catu emphasized the importance of continued cooperation among government agencies to achieve lasting peace in the region. “The voluntary surrender of 15 former members of the armed group is clear proof that our collective efforts for peace are bearing fruit. More than a security victory, this is a victory of unity, trust, and giving a second chance to our countrymen to live peacefully with their families,” Catu said in a statement.
“We will continue to strengthen our coordination with local governments, PNP, BARMM, and other partner agencies to finally end the armed conflict and achieve lasting peace and development in Maguindanao del Sur and the entire region,” he added.
Meanwhile, Major General Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central and 6th Infantry Division, said the continued surrender of members of the local terrorist group reflects the continued success of the government's campaign for peace through the Whole-of-Government Approach and is proof of the weakening of their group due to the death of their leaders.
“With the help of our PNP, local government, and other partner agencies, we continue to reach areas previously affected by armed conflict. We continue to encourage other stray individuals to choose the peaceful path and take advantage of the programs offered by the government to start anew with their families,” Cagara said.
He said the voluntary surrender of former armed members reflects the continued success of the government's peace programs and counter-insurgency campaign.
The six LGUs in the AOR of the 90IB include the municipalities of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Hoffer, Shariff Aguak, Amaptuan, Datu Unsay, and Datu Abdullah Sangki.
