Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro has said the government will still keep its open-door policy to resolve conflicts in Mindanao, as he accepted on Saturday the formal surrender of four Moro Islamic Liberation

Front (MILF) leaders and some 130 of followers under renegade Abdullah Macapaar, aka “Commander Bravo”, in ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the province of Lanao del Norte.

The Defense chief thanked Governor Khalid Dimaporo, Congressman Abdullah Dimaporo of the 2nd District and the military commanders in the area for the surrender of the MILF rebels who operated in the two Lanao provinces. The surrenderees were members of the 101st Base Command, 302nd Base Command, 303rd Base Command, and the 5th Base Command.

Teodoro said incessant combat operations conducted by the Philippine Army in Lanao del Norte led to the surrender of the rebels.

“The number 1 problem in the Lanao provinces is peace. We have to hunt down those who undertake criminal activities. But more important, we have to bring them back to the fold of the law. That is our priority,” Teodoro said.

He reiterated that peace negotiations with the MILF should be anchored on the “Disarmament, Demobilization and Re-integration” (DDR) policy of the government.

Without disarmament, Teodoro emphasized, peace will still be fragile since the prevalence of firearms in the area could still lead to atrocities against soldiers and civilians, especially children.

The defense chief also exhorted the local executives to initiate the peaceful surrender of other MILF renegade followers so that they can return to the mainstream of society.  “Government will still keep its open-door policy to resolve conflicts in Lanao del Norte and elsewhere in Mindanao”, Teodoro said.

Col. Benito Antonio de Leon, Commanding Officer, 104th Infantry Brigade, who spearheaded the negotiations for the surrender of the MILF renegades, identified the leaders of the 130 surrenderees as Kayamura Mangilala alias “Kalayaan”, commander of 1st Battalion, 302nd Base Command, BIAF, MILF; his sub-unit commander Minalang Mapandi alias “Batman”; Mabaning Andamun Lucsadato, alias “Benjie/Protector”, Aliman Barambangan Macapudi alias “Aliman”, and Alih Mamkar Raso alias “Baby Rapid.”

The rebels yielded a total of 72 high-powered firearms to the 104th Infantry Brigade. These included 13 M1 Garand rifles, four M16s, an M203, three cal .30 BARs, five M2 carbine rifles, an M14 rifle, two 40 MM M79s, an Ingram, seven cal. 45 pistols, seven cal. 38 revolvers, five cal. 22 pistols, three RPGs and several other firearms.