SW News: Caritas Philippines gears up to provide succor to six Islamist militants who surrendered before the military in Maguindanao province in Mindanao in the south of the Philippines. It was on January 15 that the militants belonging to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters laid down their weapons before the Western Mindanao Command.

According to Mindanao Caritas Chairman Fr Roel De Guzman, the charitable outfit donated rice and funds to the militants. “Most people join these extremist groups because of poverty. So, we need to address it first. Then we will provide them with livelihood,” said the priest in an interview with UCA News. Caritas plays a key role in rehabilitating former militants by working closely with the government.

Fr Guzman said they were profiling each of the surrendered terrorists in order to establish contact with their families and local communities.

“They lacked communication with their loved ones because they are afraid that government forces would torture their family members to extract information about their whereabouts. But if they see that church and government make the first efforts to bring them to their family members, then somehow there is hope they’d trust the process again,” he explained. Addressing the media, Brigadier General Arturo Rojas said that the militants surrendered one 60-mm mortar, one M16A1 rifle, one carbine rifle, one long-range magazine and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and ammo along with an improvised explosive device. They gave up their weapons to demonstrate that they had indeed given up the cause they were fighting for.

The military said that six of the militants decided to give up arms because they were tired of the ongoing army operations in Maguindanao to crush Islamist insurgency. Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Vicente Bacarro said, “We welcome the former violent extremists and extend our assistance to them as they return to mainstream society. Rest assured that we will keep them safe as they prepare themselves to become productive members of their respective communities.”