Maguindanao sur: Thirteen Moro extremists surrendered to the military on Thursday afternoon to avail themselves of the government's peace offer. Lt. Col. Erwin Felongco, commander of the Army's 38th Infantry Battalion (IB), presented the former violent extremists to Brig. Gen. Edgar Catu, commander of the Army's 601st Infantry Brigade, during the 1 p.m. surrender ceremony held at the headquarters of the 38IB here.

According to Philippines News Agency, local officials of Datu Piang, led by Mayor Victor Samama, and police officials were present during the program. Lt. Col. Felongco noted that the surrenderers were all members of the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters operating in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte. The group turned over two 81mm mortar tubes, two 60mm mortar tubes, an M79 grenade launcher, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, one sniper rifle, three 9mm Uzi submachine guns, and a hand grenade.

Brig. Gen. Catu lauded the extremists' decision to surrender. Multiple agencies in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao offered financial support to help them reintegrate into society. Maj. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, urged other extremists to consider a change in their lives by laying down their guns, availing themselves of the government's peace programs, and living normal lives with their families.