MANILA: A bomb maker who was part of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters has surrendered to the army in Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao.
The 40-year-old man, whose identity was withheld, was the 13th BIFF member who pledge allegiance to the government and surrendered in the last five months, the Philstar.com portal reported.
In a simple ceremony, the BIFF member turned in a 5.56 Ultimax light machinegun to officials of the 1st Brigade Combat Team and the 6th Mechanized Battalion on Wednesday in Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao.
Major General Roy Galido, commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Battalion, said the bomb maker referred to as "Rasbil" was to be relocated to an area far from reach of companions.
He was to be reintroduced to mainstream society with the help of different government agencies.
Rasbil claimed, for the BIFF, he produced improvised explosive devices similar to that was used by the Islamic State.
He even turned in schematic diagrams for IEDs that he said are easy to fabricate using ammonium nitrate as blasting powder and detonators that can be set off from a distance using mobile phones.
The BIFF and ally Dawlah Islamiya, are blamed for bombings in central Mindanao since 2014. Both groups have a reputation for bombing business establishments and public conveyances if demands for "protection money" are not met.