UNGKAYA PUKAN, Basilan — A few months ago, 63-year-old farmer Ben Asani decided to give up two decades of banditry and voluntarily surrender to the 18th Infantry Battalion (IB). “I am old, my knees are too weak to run in the forest,” said Asani, who had been a member of the Abu Sayyaf group since the time of its slain founder, Abdurajak Janjalani. Asani’s daughter, Ling, was one of the witnesses when he swore an oath to help the government fight the Abu Sayyaf. I know those houses are for surrendered Abu Sayyaf, because I am one of the carpenters who built those houses,” Asani said. “I gave them food and materials, but the people in barangay tagged me as Abu Sayyaf,” Anjilul said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 16, 2018 21:33 UTC